Once upon a time there was a boy named Jack, who lived with his mother in a small village. They were very poor and their only possession was a cow, which gave them milk, and an axe, which hung on the wall of their house.

Orientation

Sets the scene, gives details of who, when, where.

One day his mother said to Jack, “  We are so poor that we must sell the cow. You must take it to the market and sell it to buy food.”

       So Jack took the cow and set off to market. On his way there he met an old man who offered to exchange Jack`s cow for some beans. Jack said, “My mother will be very angry with me if I don`t take back my money. We need to buy food.”

     “Don`t worry, “  replied the old man. “These are no ordinary beans. They are magic beans, and they will bring you good luck!”

     Jack felt sorry for the old man, for he looked even poorer than Jack, and so he agreed to exchange the cow for Magic beans.

    You are a kind boy, “said the old man, “and you will be rewarded.”

When he got home and told his mother what he had done, she was very angry.

   “You Stupid boy”, she shouted. You have sold out our most valuable possession for a handful of beans. “And she threw the beans out of the window”.

    The next day when Jack woke up, there, in the garden, where his mother had thrown the beans, was a huge beanstalk. It was as thick as a tree and so tall it seemed to go right up into the sky. Jack stared and stared at the beanstalk and remembered the old man`s words. Taking his axe he began to climb up the beanstalk. Up and up he climbed. For many hours he kept climbing until, at last, he could see the top of the beanstalk. Right at the top of the beanstalk, asleep on the ground, was a huge, ugly giant. And in front

of him lay a treasure. There were gold and silver coins, and piles of precious jewels. Very quietly, so as not to wake the giant, Jack started to fill his coat pocket with the giant`s treasure.

Events

relates a number of events in sequence

Just as Jack had taken all he could carry, the giant opened his  one eye and saw Jack. “ Who are you?” he roared. He opened the other eye, and then he stood up. Jack could hardly see his head it was so far away. He turned and run and started to climb down the beanstalk as fast as he could.  The giant strode after him, and Jack felt sure he was about to die!

Complication

States the problem.

But as the giant was about to reach down and grab Jack, Jack remembered the axe. He swung it backwards and then, as hard as he could, he chopped into the beanstalk just above his head. Again and again he chopped until, at last, the top of the beanstalk crashed down out of the sky, carrying the giant with it. With a loud roar he disappeared and fell on to earth. And Jack climbed safely down the beanstalk carrying enough jewels to look after his mother and himself for the rest of his life

Resolution

relates how the problem is solved