Magic lantern - Three Jacks. Part 1.

Three Jacks
Part 1.

1. Jack and the Beanstalk
2. Jack the Giant Killer
3. The House that Jack Built

Jack and the Beanstalk.

No. 1. Once upon a time, in the Good old days, there lived in one of the country villages a poor woman with her only child, whose name was Jack. Jack's father was dead, consequently they had a very hard time of it, and at last, one day, the mother told Jack to take their only cow to the market and sell it to the highest bidder.	No. 2. But Jack, who ought to have been a bright sharp boy, was overcome by the sight of some beautiful beans, which a butcher who he met on the road offered to him and he sold the cow for the few bright looking beans. When he returned home his mother was naturally very angry, for the money she expected to have got for the cow was all they would have to live on. In a great passion she threw the beans into the gardens and ordered Jack off to bed.	No. 3. Jack was up early in the morning and going out of the house was astonished to find a gigantic bean stalk had grown in the place where the beans had been thrown down, and looking up to see how high it was he found he could not see the top, which seemed lost in the clouds.

No. 4. So Jack, who was a capital climber, determined to mount it and see hoes far up he could go. Hour after hour, higher and higher up he went, till at last he saw about him a new country and a fairy beckoning him with her wand.	No. 5. The fairy, who was dressed like an old woman, told Jack about his father, whom he had never known, and who was cruelly killed by a giant who lived in the land where Jack had climbed to. She likewise said that it was herself who had put it into Jack's mind to exchange the cow for the beans, and that she had done so that he might mount to this new country and avenge his father's cruel death by killing the giant, and recovering the property of which his father had been robbed. She then gave him instructions where to find the castle, promised him her help, and vanished.	No. 6. Arrived at the castle, Jack lustily blew the horn which hung at the gate and his call was answered by the wife of the giant, who soon demanded to know what a little fellow like him wanted at the castle gate. She was not a cruel woman herself, and told him if the giant saw him he would be killed, but Jack begged for a night's shelter and letting him in, she told him to hide in the large copper.

No. 7. When the giant returned soon after, he ordered his supper, and after he had finished it called for a hen that was in the castle, and when it was brought to him, every time he said to it the word "lay" the hen laid a golden egg. After a time the giant dropped off to sleep, when Jack crept out of the copper and seized the hen and made his way down the beanstalk and gave the hen to his mother. It always laid them golden eggs when commanded, so they soon became very welt off.	No. 8. After some time Jack again visited the castle and safely concealed himself. This time, when the giant came home and when he had had his supper, he called for his bags of money to be brought to him, and after counting them and putting them on the shelves he went to bed, and was soon fast asleep. Jack then took as much of the money as he could possibly carry and again returned to his mother.	No. 9. Once more, for a third time, Jack went to the castle and on this occasion the giant's wife for a long time refused to let him in, because she had always got into trouble every time he had been there before. However he was eventually admitted, and after supper the giant called for his golden harp, which, when told to do so, played the most beautiful music of its own accord, and soon lulled the giant off to sleep. Jack then seized the harp and ran off.

No. 10. But, to Jack's horror, the harp began to cry out "Master, master." The giant awoke, and soon found out the harp was gone, and began to search for it everywhere.	No. 11. Jack had not time to escape, so he tried again to hide in the copper. But after some time, the giant came and lifted the lid, and it was only owing to his great agility, and the clumsy awkwardness of the giant, that he escaped and rushed to the bean stalk, with the monster after him.	No. 12. Jack got down first by a long way, and when he saw the giant following he seized an axe and chopped off the stalk near the ground. The giant fell from a great height and was dashed to pieces. Then the fairy appeared and applauded Jack for his bravery and perseverance, gave him her blessing, and vanished. Jack and his mother henceforth lived in great prosperity and happiness.

Set of eight black and white slides made by York and Son, England.
1. Jack and his Mother -- grief at parting with the Cow.	2. Jack sells the Cow for a hatful of Beans.	3.Jack finds the beans grown to a very large tree.	4. Jack finds a beautiful Fairy at the top of the tree.

5.Jack steals the Giant's Hen that lays Golden Eggs.	6. Jack steals the Giant's Money.	7. Jack hides in the Copper.	8. Jack chops the Beanstalk and the Giant is killed with the fall.





The story of Jack and the Beanstalk was also published in the very popular Junior Lecturers Series as part 512. The sets were produced by W. Butcher & Sons, London (1870-1906) under the trade name of Primus. The slides were sold as a set of eight in a cardboard box. The prize of each set was initially about two shillings but at the end of World War I the price had more than doubled. Size of the slides: 8.2 x 8.2 cm (3 1/4" x 3 1/4").

		Yet another version of Jack and the Beanstalk A magnificent series of eight hand-painted magic lantern slides in a wooden frame made by an unknown manufacturer. Size: 7 inches x 4 inches; the glass is 3 inches in diameter.


1. Jack showing Kindness to a Poor Old Woman.	2. Turned out to be a Fairy.	3. The Fairy giving Jack the Wonderful Bean.

4. Jack Climbing the Bean stalk.	5. Jack Stealing the Hen.	6. Jack with the Fairy Harp escaping from the Giant.

		The complete set.
7. The Fairies entangling the Giant in the Bean-stalk.	8. Jack taking the Giant Prisoner to King Alfred.
Below is a set of magic lantern slides with some images very similar to the slides above. The 7 slides are painted by hand, the manufacturer is unknown:



		A set of 9 glass slides in a wooden frame made by J. Barnard & Son, London. All slides come with a label stating 'Enamel slides for the magic lantern', the name and address of the manufacturer, the title of the set and a serial number. The part of the story that belongs to the slide is printed on a second label. The wood has 'B&S PATENT' pressed. Dimensions 18 x 10 cm.




Jack the Giant Killer. "Jack the Giant Killer" is a British legend about a plucky lad who slays a number of giants during King Arthur's reign. The tale is characterised by violence and loss of blood.

1. Cormoran.	2. Cormoran in a Pit.	3. Blunderbore finding Jack at the Well.

4. The Drowning Giant.	5. The Giant striking the Bed.	6. Giant with Bowl of Porridge.

7. Giant and Jack.	8. The Giant and the Lady.	9. Giant with Two Heads.

10. The Dungeon.	11. The Castle Gate.	12. Jack's Reward.
	Jack the Giant Killer. Complete set of twelve 3.25 inch slides showing a rather unusual version of the story. This set is sometimes attributed to Theobald & Co. but according to the label on the cardboard box the set is 'Manufactured by Robert H. Clark".
Set of 12 slides in a wooden frame. The pictures are the same as those from the set above.		These slides were made by J. Baynard & Son of London and each slide measures 7 inches x 4 inches.





	Another Jack The Giant Killer set of 12 magic lantern slides, each one measuring 3.25 inches x 3.25 inches (8.2 x 8.2 cm). This set was made by Theobald & Co., England.




A set of six slides depicting the story of Jack the Giant Killer made by W.C. Hughes.
Five hand painted magic lantern slides in a wooden frame depicting the story of 'Jack the Giant Killer'. Frame size is 16.5 cm wide. Manufacturer unknown.

		Serie E from 'Bilder mit Text für Laterna Magica' made by Ernst Plank (E.P.). The wooden box contains twelve long magic lantern slides depicting six stories (two slides each story): 1. Robinson; 2. Rothkäpchen; 3. Gestiefelter Kater; 4. Dick Whittington; 5. John Kilpin; and...... Jakob der Riesentödter!





The story of Jack the Giant Killer was also published in the very popular Junior Lecturers Series as part 508.

And now...... The House that Jack Built......