Once upon a time in the peaceful village of Evergreen, Jack and his mother, a widow struggling to make ends meet, faced the harsh reality of a poverty-stricken life. Desperation led Jack to a mysterious old man – his mentor – in the market who exchanged a cow for five magical beans. Little did Jack know that these seemingly ordinary beans would sprout into a colossal adventure that transcended the boundaries of his wildest dreams.
Jack starts in an ordinary world, a place of routine and comfort. Yet even in his snug ordinary world, there is still conflict, in this example, the conflict of his impoverished family. This eventually led Jack to sell a family cow for five magical beans, five magical possibilities, a call to adventure, a call for Jack to break through his ordinary routine into something more. Yet, this call falls under threat of not being answered. When Jack returns home, his mom is outraged by the seemingly worthless trade and scolds Jack. She throws the beans outside and refuses Jack’s call to adventure for him.
But the call is not so easily cast out. The beans, overnight, sprout a magnificent beanstalk – a pathway into the unknown filled with magical possibilities. Jack sees this chance and takes it by following the call and climbing up the beanstalk. In doing this, Jack crosses the threshold from his ordinary world and into the unknown.
Eventually, this leads Jack into the giant’s lair – the Inmost Cave – where he discovers possible rewards and magical riches all over. This could be the salvation of his family, yet it could also be his own demise. Jack, in a climactic chase, defeats the giant by cutting down the beanstalk, causing the giant to fall to his death. He takes his destiny into his own hands, defeats the giant, and transforms into a true hero. During his descent on the road back, Jack brings with him not only riches but also a newfound confidence and integrates both into his once normal life. He transforms his once ordinary world into something so much more.
What does mom have to say about Jack and his beans now? Can we achieve anything without taking some risks? Can we grow without friction?
