Previously on this blog, I’ve written about the power of words – how they are seldom ever ‘just words’ and how their meaning has such an impact on us from a young age.  I also gave you my take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  Not (in my humble opinion) a classic, much loved children’s fairy tale; but rather a rude, overly inquisitive little girl, who spreads her germs by double dipping spoons and breaks things without apology.  This week, I’m thinking about what Jack & the Beanstalk is really all about, and what it’s teaching our kids (spoiler alert – again, not so much!):

Jack & the Beanstalk

Having been given just one task to complete by his long suffering mum, Jack promptly ignores her request to sell their (only) cow, and instead arrives home having swapped it for some, woooo, magic beans.  And for this inability to follow a simple request, Jack is, in fairness, sent to bed.  But upon waking, and discovering a magic beanstalk has grown in the garden, he starts to climb (did he tell his poor mum where he was off to? Who knows but I’m guessing not).  At the top of the beanstalk, he discovers a blood-smelling giant, and not content with eating the giant’s sausages, he then steals a bag of gold from him, and hot foots it back home.

Now Jack’s mum seemingly doesn’t question where a small boy would procure such a bag of loot, and  she spends it all, admittedly on food (which they were in need of following the cow / magic bean swap).  Thing is, here once again is a child who isn’t shown any consequences for their actions.  If she wasn’t going to reprimand him for theft, the least she could have done is encouraged him to open an ISA.

Jack climbs the beanstalk again, and this time makes off with a goose who lays golden eggs.  It’s not made clear in the story, if the mum is complicit in this second act of larceny, but it would appear that Jack is once again, not reprimanded.

Not content, Jack scales the beanstalk a third time, and steals a self-playing harp.  But finally, he’s pursued by the Giant!  Jack’s mum (who now clearly must be totally in cahoots) throws him an axe and once the beanstalk is chopped down, the Giant falls.  To his death.  

And they all (save for the giant) lived happily ever after.  No prosecution for three counts of theft. Certainly nothing for gianticide.  Moral of the story:  crime does pay.  Handsomely.  And seemingly once again, with no consequences.

Now my tongue is once again somewhat in my cheek. But writing this got me wondering about what the actual moral of the story was intended to be.  A quick google brought up suggestions such as, one should take advantage of the opportunities that life provides for you. True enough. Another: listen to your mother.  This once left me thinking, or what?  You’ll end up very wealthy?!

We read to our children from the day they are born, and talk to them about stories, films, the world, everything we can. Little ears take everything on board, and they are very literal. When my daughter was small I asked her what she thought The Gruffalo was about, (the classic David v. Goliath tale of brains outsmarting braun).  And she replied, “It’s about a mouse. Who goes for a walk”. 

Not quite the message I was hoping had got though, but she’s not wrong though!  She was only about 2, and it was a good conversation starter! And that is the bit I hold onto when she requests one of these outdated stories or movies.  We use it to start an conversation and ask her what she thinks.  Start a discussion and their minds will begin to consider these messages for themselves. Encouraging children to think, is no bad thing!

Now, if we could just get her to find some magic beans, we’d be rich too!!