Jack and the Beanstalk with Lucas

Lucas and João loved being neighbors! They lived in houses near each other in Charlotte. The only difference was João had a big yard, with lots of green grass, where cows and chickens used to live. But now, João lived with his mother and only one cow, named Branca. Sometimes, Branca’s milk was all they had to eat in a day. Whenever he could, Lucas would bring some snacks to share with João. This ensured they had fun playing in the yard, and João’s mother was always happy. João loved playing tag, and Lucas was interested in wild animals. One day, they were playing make-believe, pretending to be explorers searching for new animals.

"Look!" João shouted, pointing to a little squirrel scampering up a tree. "There's a wild animal!"

"Wow!" Lucas exclaimed, peering through his binoculars. He squinted his eyes and whispered, "It looks like he's saying something!"

Lucas had a secret, he could talk to animals! It was his superpower.

"He's saying, 'Thank you for the yummy nuts you left for me!'" Lucas told João, giggling.

But their fun was interrupted. João’s mother came out with a sad face.

"João," she said, "We need more than just milk to eat. We need to sell Branca."

João felt a lump in his throat. He loved Branca!

"We can't sell her!" João cried.

Lucas, with his adventurous spirit, quickly came up with a plan. "Don't worry, João! I have a way to help!"

That afternoon, João and Lucas walked to the market. They laughed and joked, trying to keep their spirits up. But as they passed a corner, they saw a kind old man. The old man quickly stepped forward to speak to the boys.

"Hello, young lads!" he said, smiling. "Would you be interested in some magic beans? They are very special, you know! They can grow anything you want!"

Lucas's eyes widened. He loved exploring, and the idea of magic beans sparked his curiosity.

"What could we grow?" he asked, excitedly.

"You can grow more food than you could ever imagine!" the old man said, winking.

João, who was still sad about Branca, thought the beans might be a better option than just milk. They discussed it for a moment, then decided to exchange Branca for the beans.

"Thank you!" João told the old man, shaking his hand. "We'll be back soon to tell you all about it!"

They rushed back home, filled with anticipation. But João’s mother’s face dropped when she heard what they had done.

"Oh, João!" she cried, "You foolish boy! That man tricked us! He just wanted Branca! There are no magic beans!"

João felt a pang of guilt. He had made a mistake!

His mother sent Lucas home, and told João to go to bed. That night, tears streaming down his cheeks, João tossed and turned. He was worried about what they would eat now. In his anger, he grabbed the bag of beans and threw it out the window. Then, he fell asleep.

The next morning, João woke up to a sight that made his eyes pop. A beanstalk, taller than the tallest tree, had grown in his yard! It reached up to the clouds! João’s mother was surprised, but she wasn't worried. She let João meet Lucas to go play.

"Wow!" Lucas exclaimed, staring up at the beanstalk. "It's like something out of a storybook!"

"It's magical!" João agreed.

They were both curious and adventurous, so they decided to climb the beanstalk. They climbed and climbed, until they passed the clouds. It felt like they were climbing forever!