# Why did the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk eat only boys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453 "2014-09-14T03:07:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/1 "2014-09-14T03:07:23Z")
In many versions of Jack and the Beanstalk, the giant was known for catching and eating boys. Actually, this seems to be a recurring theme in children’s stories. Numerous stories seem to have a villainous character seeking out boys to satisfy their appetites. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/2 "2014-09-14T03:11:27Z")
Because girls taste like boogers. Didn’t you know this? And your premise is flawed – what about Little Red Riding Hood? Hansel & Gretel? ---
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/3 "2014-09-14T03:23:35Z")
First of all, girls definitely don’t taste like boogers. I can vouch for that. As for Hansel and Gretel, the witch put Hansel in a cage to fatten up, and made Gretel help, while giving her only crab shells to eat. She only resorted to eating Gretel when Hansel didn’t get fat enough soon enough. As for Red Riding Hood, that’s one of the few exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/4 "2014-09-14T03:26:00Z")
Atkins diet? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/5 "2014-09-14T03:30:00Z")
> [@tbpavi](#): > > In many versions of Jack and the Beanstalk, the giant was known for catching and eating boys. Actually, this seems to be a recurring theme in children’s stories. Numerous stories seem to have a villainous character seeking out boys to satisfy their appetites. How many versions can you offer? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/6 "2014-09-14T03:38:03Z")
It’s institutional sexism, I tell you! Why shouldn’t girls have the same opportunities to be eaten by giants? ---
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/7 "2014-09-14T03:49:50Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > How many versions can you offer? It is an old story. There are many versions. ---
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/8 "2014-09-14T03:52:11Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > It’s institutional sexism, I tell you! Why shouldn’t girls have the same opportunities to be eaten by giants? I agree. Perhaps the giant has some unresolved sexual issues. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/9 "2014-09-14T04:02:33Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > And your premise is flawed – what about Little Red Riding Hood? Hansel & Gretel? From a lost version of Little Red Riding Hood Big Bad Wolf: I’m going to eat you! Little Red Riding Hood: Eat, eat, eat. Doesn’t anybody fuck anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/10 "2014-09-14T04:18:45Z")
Girls are staying home helping their mothers. Boys are adventurous and mischievous and out exploring the world. Giants don’t get much opportunity to eat girls. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/11 "2014-09-14T04:22:12Z")
Because it is a giant metaphor for pedophiles. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/12 "2014-09-14T04:28:00Z")
To get his RDA of snips and snails and puppydog tails. Sugar and spice and everything nice should be limited in the healthful diet. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/13 "2014-09-14T04:33:14Z")
Searching for the phrase " eat" on this page: [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2591/2591-h/2591-h.htm](http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2591/2591-h/2591-h.htm) For the most part, people eat food. In the case where they eat people, they generally seem to be indiscriminate. The only case I saw of sexist cannibalism was The Robber Bridegroom, which was about people who eat women. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/14 "2014-09-14T05:07:04Z")
> [@tbpavi](#): > > First of all, girls definitely don’t taste like boogers. I can vouch for that. As for Hansel and Gretel, the witch put Hansel in a cage to fatten up, and made Gretel help, while giving her only crab shells to eat. She only resorted to eating Gretel when Hansel didn’t get fat enough soon enough. As for Red Riding Hood, that’s one of the few exceptions. Hansel? _Hansel?_ ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/15 "2014-09-14T06:58:01Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Because it is a giant metaphor for pedophiles. Who are never interested in molesting girls. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/16 "2014-09-14T11:58:04Z")
I believe there is more to it than simple opportunism. The giant goes out and catches most of the boys that he eats. Certainly he would at some point come across a female. The giant’s wife is fairly clear that boys are his favorite food. He comes home with oxen and sheep but grumbles not being able to find any boys. As I said, this is far from exclusive to this story. What about “Mr. Miacca”. How about The Wolf Who Cried Boy" about a wolf family that dreams of boy chops and boys and berry pie. The story “Boy Soup” is about a giant that catches a group of boys. When he catches them, however, he also accidentally catches a girl. While he prepares to make the boys into soup, he simply talks with the little girl, obviously intending no harm to her. That story is written by a woman and I believe that’s a part of it. I can remember as a child hearing stories like this where some giant, witch or monster would talk about how much they liked eating boy and that my female classmates would giggle and snicker. I believe that they enjoyed it as if it were the damsel in distress scenario reversed. At that age, boys and girls are very much in competition and I believe the girls felt like it was a sort of victory for them that the boys were the ones in peril as opposed to them. If the giant came along, they had nothing to worry about but the boys would be carried off to be dinner. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/17 "2014-09-14T14:55:35Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Hansel? _Hansel?_ Haha! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/18 "2014-09-14T15:29:26Z")
The only version of _J&tB_ that I’ve ever heard has the giant only eating British people who are foolish enough to enter his house. Which, given the relative scarcity of giant beanstalks in Britain suggests that he hasn’t had very many. Also, it’s not ladylike for little girls to climb up large plants (someone might see her underpants – unless she’s foresighted enough to not wear any), so only little boys are likely to encounter the house in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![tbpavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@tbpavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbpavi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/19 "2014-09-14T20:42:23Z")
There are many retellings but in the majority the giant goes out and catches boys that he brings home to his wife to cook. I don’t think the whole he eats boys because they’re there argument holds water. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453/20 "2014-09-14T21:25:54Z")
> [@tbpavi](#): > > There are many retellings but in the majority the giant goes out and catches boys that he brings home to his wife to cook. I’m not saying you’re wrong, necessarily, but I don’t recall ever encountering a version of the story like this. I’ve never heard of any of the stories you mention in your post above, either. Do you have any evidence (i.e. links) to support your claim? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-giant-in-jack-and-the-beanstalk-eat-only-boys/698453.md?page=2)