"The Thief and the Beanstalk" is a story about a young boy named Jack who trades his family's cow for magic beans. When he plants the beans, they grow into a giant beanstalk that reaches up to the clouds. Curious, Jack climbs the beanstalk and discovers a giant's castle. In the castle, Jack encounters a giant and finds treasures, including a magical hen that lays golden eggs. After several adventures, Jack steals the hen and other treasures before escaping down the beanstalk. He eventually cuts it down, preventing the giant from following him, and lives happily with his mother.