Jack and his mother have only one old cow. Jack trades the cow for a handful of beans, and his mother becomes so angry that she throws the beans out the window. Overnight the beans grow into a huge beanstalk. Jack climbs the beanstalk and finds a giant at the top. Jack sees that the giant has a goose that lays golden eggs. Jack grabs the goose and returns to his surprised mother. Jack returns to the top of the beanstalk and barely escapes. He chops down the beanstalk, and the giant is never heard from again.