In a serene place known as Giant’s Valley, there lived a gentle giant named George. Every morning as the sun began to rise, his home would light up in beautiful colors, drawing the little village nearby into awe. George, with his bright blue eyes and kind smile, always looked forward to seeing the villagers start their daily routine. Yet, despite his warmth, there was one thing that saddened him: the villagers were terrified of him.
“Don’t worry, they’ll get used to me one day!” George would say to his dear friends—a little bird that chirped ever so sweetly and a squirrel that loved to creak his little legs. But as time passed, that day never seemed to arrive, and George grew more disheartened.
One morning, while eating his breakfast of three dozen eggs, he spotted the villagers scurrying to market. They glanced up at him and quickly hurried away. Curious about what they were doing, George carefully moved to see better, causing some apples to fall from a cart. This frightened the villager so much that he dropped the remaining apples and fled. From that moment, George resolved to avoid frightening the good villagers further.
One day, while wandering in the woods, he noticed the little bird behaving strangely.
“Tricksey, what’s wrong?” he asked gently.
“My friend has been trapped under a tree, you must come and help!” said the distressed bird in reply.
Without a moment’s hesitation, George followed the little creature’s lead. When they arrived, the sight that met his eyes was truly alarming. A villager lay pinned under a large branch, his face pale and gasping for breath. But the moment he caught sight of George, he screamed and cried, “A giant! A giant!”
“Stay quietly, friend,” George spoke softly. “I will lift the tree off you.”
So he placed his fingers gently under the sturdy trunk, taking the utmost care. He lifted slightly, and the branch rose without any effort. “Now,” he said, “you may move as I lift the tree higher.”
The villager crawled out with a sigh of relief, and as George lowered the tree again, he turned to the kind giant and said, “If ever in need, let me know,” and hurried home.
“Do you think he will tell the others?” asked Tricksey.
“We shall see,” replied George quietly.
The next market-day, George took a basket filled with the best and biggest apples and personally carried them to market. When he arrived, instead of the usual
confusion, the villagers were smiling and laughing. George, holding his head very high and trying to look as dignified as possible, stood waiting at one place. As soon as the funniest villager among them noticed him, he tried to address George, but being so overcome with laughter could only manage to say breathlessly, “Hearts bless you, good giant! We were just talking about that delightful apple-pie last night!”
All of the villagers now hurried to George’s place, and all appeared so pleasantly impressed and delighted that George lifted his basket off his head and placed it on the ground. He told how he had seen a villager who truly needed help, and how grateful he was. Instantly, hands were put forward and apples dropped into his basket. Such jolly laughter and joking ensued! And as not another apple was placed in George’s basket, he found the basket quite filled and overflowing, and lighter than when quite empty.
From that time forth, every market-day, George went to assist the villagers, and in less than no time became their “gentle giant,” and the happiest being in the whole world.