Little Anna reads, The Magic Beans, an alternate version of that famous little story.
The little beans go into the hole in the ground and grow to a great big green tree.
The little boy climbs up the big green tree and he is smaller than everything. Everything, except for the little red hen that makes a littler golden egg, a little harp, and a little bag of money.
Little Anna reads to me in an excited voice: “Oh mother, I have something for you,” and it all becomes clear.
The little boy grabs what he sees. The boy wants and wants, and takes and takes. And little Anna turns the page with an Ooh and an Aah. The great big ugly giant deserves to tumble down that great big tree. The little boy hurries down, “Oh mother, mother, help me!” And together they chop down the great big tree. You never see it, but the giant tumbles down and at the very end, the little boy and his mother ignore the great big feet sticking out of the ground, as they hold on to the little red hen, the golden egg, and all that money.
Little Anna claps and I clap as my heart sinks and everything is clear to me.
The great big giant eats dirt. The little boy takes what he sees. He needs his mother, who needs more money.
Grab, grab, grab what you can, little Anna. While you can.
The Hungry Artist 