GIANT FRIENDS (At Home) Chapter 1 A story with a moral for children

                                               

                                      GIANT FRIENDS At Home (Chapter 1)

Down on Earth one day, a curious boy climbed a magic beanstalk. When he got higher than he intended to go he looked down and got so frightened he could not move for a long time. When his courage returned he could climb up but not back down and he had to go all the way to the top. It took him three days and he slept in the crook of a bean leaf.

In this land beyond the clouds, life was sweet and clean. All living creature alike grew to giant size.

Trapped in this new land, the boy called Zenix grew to be a giant, as tall as two men, and built himself a beautiful mansion. One day when a terrible storm blew up, he found another creature, half drowned, at his front door. It was a shoebill bird, who became a close friend and man-servant to his rescuer.

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Chapter 1


 “Good morning, Zenix,” a voice woke the sleeping giant.

 “Morning. It’s morning? It's morning!? Why have you let me sleep so late, you dang dodo            bird!”

 “Oh, how insulting you can be, Sir. I’m injured. I devote my life--”

“Aah! Enough with the sob story, Shoebill. Don’t you know I’ve got a hangover?”

“Yes I do, of course I do, Sir. Of course I do. I was just sayin’ you'd think...
Anyway, I’ve brought you a sure remedy for that headache I just knew you’d have.”

“Oh no! Not another one of your remedies.”

 “Don’t worry a bit, Sir. Komodo gave me this one and he swears by it.”

 “Oh no! Komodo’s remedies are even worse! Why am I plagued by these second-hand remedies of yours??”

 “But Komo –”

 “Aah Komodo!! Komodo, Komodo, Komodo! If I hear the name of that gallumping great Dragon one more time...”

 “But he’s so gentle, Sir. As gentle as a lamb. And he swears…”

 “He’s not a giant, though, Shoebill. Over-sized lizards don’t eat what giants eat, do they?”

 “It’s just the remedy for a headache…“

 ‘I haven’t got a headache!“

“Oh...my mistake, Sir. However, I’ll just leave it here on this bean leaf, in case you change your mind, Sir. I think, however, you should stop drinking your own bean leaf home-brew, Sir. That stuff is 50% alcohol, Sir...just sayin’...”

“Aagh!, Don't be ridiculous, Shoebill. It's nothing like 50%. I'd be dead if it was and I'm a giant."

 "Well,  how strong is it then?"

  "Oh, for heaven's sake! I'm not a chemist, Shoebill! I’m going for a walk.”

The door slammed and Zenix the giant stomped away downstairs to his own personal forest to get some peace.

 After 10 minutes he realised...that headache he didn’t really have was just too much to stand, so he headed back to the house, stomped upstairs and retired to bed.

 Shoebill followed and asked innocently, “Did you get all your wood chopped for today, Sir?”

 “No! I couldn’t stand the sound of the axe. This headache is chopping my head open as it is. I’m going to sleep. No disturbances, thank you, Shoebill.”

 “As you wish, Sir”

However, poor Zenix couldn’t sleep for the banging in his head. In desperation, he reached over, took.the glass of ‘remedy’ and glugged it down. Within 10 minutes the headache had gone and Zenix uttered, “Typical! That dragon just has to be right, again.”

 Downstairs, Shoebill worked in the kitchen preparing meals, until he heard tapping at the door. and a lyrical voice called, “Anyone at home; is it safe?”

 It was his friend, his dear friend, Komodo.

“Did the remedy work, Shoebbill?”

 Shoebill shrugged “Who knows? He refuses to drink it.”

 Just then they heard a loud rumbling, like thunder, and the walls vibrated and echoes issued from the ceiling above. Snoring!

Shoebill smiled. “Aah...maybe he did. I’ll make coffee for us.”

 It was two hours before even louder rumbling, this time from the stairs, indicated that Zenix was awake and on his way down.

 Komodo rose hurriedly from the table. “Back tomorrow.” And he was gone

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 Zenix was happy. He chopped all his wood and no sign of a headache. He ate everything that Shoebill had cooked for his dinner and woke up feeling refreshed. Not even waiting for breakfast, he went off to the woods to cut more wood.

Then through the trees he saw Komodo emerging from his cosy cave.

 In a few quick strides he was there. “Oh, Komodo, you are a wonderful friend. Thank you! Thank you, Thank you for curing my headache with your outstanding remedy. Please accept my grateful appreciation, and please come home with me for lunch.”

 Shoebill was quite taken aback when the two arrived arm in arm.

 “Look, Shoebill, I’ve brought my new best friend to lunch. This calls for a celebratory drink. Please bring two glasses of bean brew.”

 Shoebill started to object. “But Zenix, your Health…”

Komodo spoke up, “Don’t worry, Shoebill. We have the remedy if anything unfortunate occurs.”

 “Certainly Komodo. Whatever!”

 At breakfast the next morning Komodo was on the doorstep again, and then again at lunch. Shoebill was insulted. Zenix the giant had stolen his best friend.

 Shoebill became quiet and depressed. Zenix became louder and drunker. Komodo hardly went home to bed.

In all, two weeks passed when, one morning, without a word of explanation, Komodo did not come for breakfast. Zenix was nonplussed. His new found friend came late for lunch, but left early, saying, “Can’t stay, be back for breakfast, Zenix,“ and out the door he went full steam crawling. 

Zenix dragged himself off to the woods each day without any joy. With sluggish arms he chopped only half a load. Firewood ran out in the kitchen and Shoebill threatened a tantrum. One day Zenix sat down with his back against a tree, and giant tears of disappointment overflowed down his trembling face. That’s when he saw... Komodo had a new friend! And It was a girlfriend. The two dragons strolled together towards the stream. They only had eyes for each other.

 Zenix rushed home, bursting in the front door and yelling for Shoebill.

 “Goodness me, Zenix, what ever has happened?” Shoebill looked shocked. “One instant you’re not talking to me; then all of a sudden...”

 “Shh! Shh!!” Zenix couldn’t wait to share his news. “Guess What, Shoebill? Komodo Is in love! Komodo is in love!”

 Shoebill was shocked now. “No!! He told me he was a confirmed bachelor!”

 Later the two old friends sat over coffee. “You are the best, Shoebill,” Zenix said warmly.