Once upon a time in a very barren and poor kingdom where everyone even the king was starving but no one more so than a young man called Steven who lived with his widowed mother Rose. After the death of his father Greg, he and his mother had found it harder and harder to go on living. As each day passed food, water, and other things they needed to survive decreased. The only thing they had of value was their family pet, a rare but tame pink lion with extremely soft fur. They used to make money by shaving his fur and selling it to make coats but now money had become too scarce so they were left with no choice but to sell the lion.

"But Mother we can't sell Lion. He's my best friend." The young man said when she told him what they had to do.

"I know dear but we have no other choice. It's either sell lion or we starve."

"But lion is a part of our family."

"Believe me darling if there was any other way to get money I wouldn't sell him for anything. Lion is very dear to me and I consider him family too but you're my son, I have to think about what's best for you."

"Oh Mother you shouldn't worry about me. I'm a big and strong man now, which means I can get a job and make money. We'll be rich and we'll live in a castle."

"Oh you sound so much like your father. He was a big dreamer too. He used to go on and on about how he would go out, make his fortune, and we'd be living like royalty. God rest his soul. But we musn't dwell on the past or on dreams that will never be."

"I know Mother."

"Now you must go to the market and sell Lion for at least twenty pounds. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"Good."

So reluctantly Steven took his beloved family pet with him to the market where he would have to sell him to save his mother and himself from starvation. However much to his surprise the market was empty. There was no around, no one to sell Lion to. Oh how disappointed his mother would be when he returned to tell her that there was no one to sell Lion to.

No wait! There was someone. A man, a very strange looking man. He recognized him as Lars a man who many people thought was a trickster and con artist but Steven being very friendly and somewhat naive decided to  talk with him and maybe do business.

"Hi Lars." He called out kindly.

"Oh it's you. What do you want?"

"Lars do you know where everyone is? The market is completely deserted."

"Where do you think? They're hiding in their houses."

"What are they hiding from?"

"Oh come on, haven't you heard the news?"

"What news?"

"It's all the town can talk about."

"I don't come to town that often."

"Oh yeah I forgot you live in the country so you don't really hear gossip. Probably why you still talk to me. Anyway word on the street is a horrible giant has been terrorizing the land."

"Really?"

"Yep, word also says that it's stolen the legendary golden goose and the princess."

"That's awful! Wait we have a princess?"

"You don't get out much do you? Yes we have a princess. I've never seen her but I hear she's gorgeous and that king has promised her hand in marriage to whoever rescues her."

"Wow that sounds exciting but I wouldn't stand a chance against a giant. I just want to sell my lion."

"That cat is for sale?"

"Yep."

"How much?"

"Twenty pounds at least."

"Twenty pounds?" Lars checked his pockets for money but he didn't have any. But he did have some beans which his father had told him was magic though he was sure that his father had been drinking too much rum when he told him that. Believing that they were just regular beans and knowing that Steven could be very gullible he decided to cheat the young lad.

"I don't have any money but I have something better." He pulled the beans out of his pocket and held them out to Steven.

"Beans?" Steven said confused.

"Not just any beans. Magic beans."

"Magic beans?"

"Magic beans that will lead you to fame and fortune."

"They just look like ordinary beans to me."

"Oh believe me they are anything but ordinary. Just plant them in the ground and when it grows you'll find your greatest fortune."

"You sure?"

"Trust me I never lie." (Totally untrue)

"Okay I'll take them."

So Steven sold the lion for five magic beans. On his way home he was beside himself with joy, convinced that once he planted the beans he and his mother would be living the life they deserved.

"Mother! Mother guess what?" He called cheerfully when he arrived home.

"What is it dear?" She asked.

"I sold our lion."

"That's great and what did you get for it? Twenty pounds?"

"No."

"Thirty?"

"No."

"Forty?"

"No."

"Dare I say fifty?"

"No even better. Magic beans. They'll lead us to fame and fortune. Look."

When Rose saw the beans in the palm of her son's hand she felt great sadness and disappointment bubble up inside of her.

"Oh my son." She sighed trying not to cry. "You have been swindled."

"No I haven't. These magic beans will-"

"Steven there is no such thing as magic beans. You have been cheated by a dishonest crook, now I fear that we shall die of starvation."

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh no Mother please don't cry. I'm sorry."

"It's alright dear, it's not your fault."

Rose tried to hide her tears so her son wouldn't blame himself but Steven could see right through his mother's happy facade. Rose then excused herself to cry privately. Enraged that he had been tricked Steven through the magic beans out the window.

"Stupid Lars! He'll pay for this!"

Steven didn't mind if people ripped him off ir cheated him or hurt him but he couldn't stand it if anyone hurt his mother and made her cry. The two went to bed hungry that night, Rose sleeping with fear over weather her son would live or not while Steven slept with plans on how to get revenge on Lars. Little did he know that those beans were indeed magic and that night when the moon shined on them the beans worked their magic and started growing.

In the morning Steven was amazed to find a gigantic beanstalk so tall that it touched the sky.

"Incredible, I wonder where it leads to."

Having inherited his late father's spirit for adventure  and curiousity for the unknown the boy began to climb the beanstalk. Part of him was a little the nervous about the height and the risk of him falling but his desire for what was at the top encouraged him top keep on going. He climbed higher than the windmills, higher than the king's castle, higher than the clouds until at last he reached his destination.

A strange land high up in the sky where the clouds formed to make solid ground that you could walk on without fear of falling through.

"Amazing." Steven said feeling the firm solid cloud with his foot. His amazement was furthered when he saw a giant castle perched on the clouds. It was huge, enormous, gigantic, why it was bigger than King Doug's castle. Heck it was bigger than the entire kingdom.

When the gigantic castle doors opened Steven didn't hesitate to enter. Everything inside was so big, the doors, the windows, the tables, the chairs, the cups, the plates, even the sliver wear. Just what kind of place was this? As he explored the castle his  nose caught hold of a delightful, delectable, and delicious smell. Hunger quickly overcame curiosity and he followed the smell into a huge kitchen where a giant, green skinned woman wearing an apron was cooking a giant pot of stew over the giant stove of a giant oven. The smell of the stew made his mouth water.

"Excuse me!" He called alerting the cook's attention.

"Who said that?" She asked.

"Down here." She looked down at Steven. "Well blimey! It's a boy! A tiny boy!"

"I beg your pardon ma'am but I'm little lost and I'm hungry too and I was wondering if you could share your stew with me."

"Sorry boy but this stew is not for me to eat or share and you shouldn't be here."

"It didn't mean to trespass or upset you."

"It's not me you need to worry about upsetting it's my husband."

"Who's that?"

"The meanest, nastiest, and most despicable giant that ever lived. A horrible brute of a man if you can even call him a man. Everyday he makes me work my fingers to the bone, cooking, cleaning, and slaving away over a hot stove while he gets to go out and cause mayhem without a single thanks to me. Hmmph! Mother was right I should've married that ogre."

"Oh gee I'm sorry. I'm Steven what's your name?"

"Peridot and you better get out of here my husband's favorite food just so happens to be little boy."

"Gross!"

"I know, human flesh is high in cholesterol and bad for your liver but does he listen to me? No. Anyway if you know what's good for you you'll get out of here because if my husband finds you it's boy stew for supper tonight."

"Yikes! You don't have to tell me twice!"

Suddenly the ground began shake as if a horrible earth quake had just occured.

"Oh no it's my husband! Hide!"

Peridot grabbed Steven and hid him in the giant cupboard. There he sat as still as a stone and as quiet as a mouse. Then he heard a terrible voice shout.

"FEE-FI-FO-FUM! I smell the blood of a human! Weather he be alive or dead I'll grind his bones to make my bread!"

Steven gulped nervously at that comment and peeking an eye out through the crack of the cupboard door he saw the biggest, meanest, ugliest, and most repulsive man ever stomp into the kitchen.

"Peridot I smell human!" He said.

"Don't be silly dear." Peridot said. "No human would ever be foolish enough to come here."

"I could've sworn I smelled human."

"Your nose is playing tricks on you again. The only thing there is to smell is the stew I'm cooking for dinner now leave it's not ready yet."

The giant took a look around the kitchen then stomped off. When he was gone Peridot took him out of the cupboard and began putting flour on him.

"My husband has the nose of a blood hound but this flour should hide your scent now leave while the brute is distracted with his riches."

With that sad Steven hurried out of the kitchen and toward the door until a gold light caught his eye. On top of the giant table was a goose and a gold harp. He watched as the giant sat on the table and demanded in his terrible voice.

"Lay for me goose!"

The goose gave a honk and laid a golden egg. Steven rubbed his eyes in amazement and disbelief, not entirely sure if what he just saw was real. But it was, the goose was really there and it really did lay a golden egg.

"Excellent!" The giant said admiring the egg. "Now play for me harp."

"As you wish."  The harp spoke sadly and beautiful music began to fill the room. It was the most beautiful music Steven had ever heard, it was soft, sweet, and soothing.

"No way." Steven whispered in surprise. "A goose that lays golden eggs and a talking harp that plays by itself. Is this a dream?"

"What are you still doing here?" Peridot asked Steven, grabbing him and taking him back to the kitchen. "I told you to leave."

"I will but first tell me about that goose and that harp."

"Fine but only if it will make you leave. The golden goose is a legendary creature with the ability to lay golden eggs."

"How?"

"No one knows, according to legend because the kingdom down below was suffering from starvation heaven sent this magnificent bird to the good king so he could use the golden eggs to save his starving people but alas my greedy husband knew of this goose so he took it from the starving humans and now forces it to lay eggs everyday or he'll make me cook it."

"What about the harp?"

"Well the harp is not really a harp at all. In actuality the harp is a princess."

"Huh?"

"Yes you heard right. You see the harp was once the king's daughter who was fairer than gold and could play the harp better than anyone. My boar of husband loved her music and wanted it all to himself so he stole her from the kingdom below and turned her into harp, forcing her to play for hours and hours and it causes her a great deal of pain."

"How awful. Is there anyway to save her?"

"To free her from the spell she must return to the place of her birth."

"So the ground?"

"Pretty much."

"I'll save her and the kingdom. I'll take that back with me."

"You're going to rob a giant? Are you stupid?"

"Maybe but I can't let the kingdom starve to death or let the princess live like this. I have to try."

"Alright but it's your funeral."

"Wait! Can't you help me?"

"Heavens no!"

"But you're a giant too. Can't you fight him?"

"No for one thing he's bigger and stronger than me and well....I just so happen the smallest giant in the world."

"Really?"

"Yes and it's very humiliating."

"But can't you help me somehow?"

"I suppose I could put some medicine in his stew that will make him sleep but I can't grantee how long the effects will last."

"That's good enough for me."

"Alright then."

So while preparing the stew Peridot poured medicine in it that would cause anyone who drank it to sleep. She then served it to her husband.

"Thank you wife. Now go mend my clothes!" He ordered.

"Yes dear!" She grunted in sarcasm as she left the room.

Just as Steven had hoped the giant passed out almost as soon as he swallowed his first spoon full of stew. He then climbed up the table, grabbed the goose and the harp, and headed for the door. He was halfway there when suddenly he tripped and fell on the goose causing the bird to honk so loud that it woke the giant.

"THEIF!" The giant roared when he saw Steven.

Without a moment of hesitation Steven ran out of the castle and bolted for the beanstalk. The sound of the giant's footsteps as he chased him sound like thunder was after him. He climbed down the beanstalk as fast as he could but the giant climbed down after. Steven made it to the ground first and he quickly grabbed an axe which he used to chop down the beanstalk. Down the beanstalk fell and down the giant fell dying as soon as he hit the ground.

"Well that takes care of him." Steven declared.

"You have saved me thank you." The harp suddenly changed into a fair young woman dressed in regal garments and jewels. This woman was undoubtedly the Princess Connie and when Steven saw her cupid's arrow pierced his heart.

"It...It was nothing really." He said blushing.

"But you're wrong you saved both me and my kingdom. I am forever in your debt."

She then planted a kiss on his lips which sent his heart flying. With the golden goose returned the kingdom was no longer in poverty and the king was so overjoyed to have his daughter back that he happily agreed to allow her to marry Steven. After the two were married Steven moved into the castle with his mother where they never went hungry again. As for Peridot she got along just fine without her husband.