Wodlen is an alien world very similar to Earth but it's much bigger as are the residents, usually about 72 feet tall at adulthood. They are anthro foxes, wolves, dogs, raccoons and so on. Humans never existed there. Ungorp Vulpa is a 73 foot tall middle aged male fox who teaches at a university. One day he met up with a human who had come to Wodlen by spaceship.

The human was David Pratt, a bit under 6 feet tall. He landed in the back yard of Arkody Lotorek, a raccoon. Arkody and David learned a bit of each others' language and Arkody showed David to Ungorp, who was his friend. Ungorp agreed to take care of David for awhile.

Ungorp had a makeshift bed made up for David on a bureau in his bedroom. One morning David was asleep and Ungorp's 10 year old nephew Vardoo came by for a visit. He had told him about the tiny human. He entered and Ungorp was distracted by a phone call. Vardoo spotted the tiny human in his little bed.

Smiling, he went over and carefully picked up the little blanket on top of the human. David shifted a little bit, half waking up. Then Vardoo picked up David between the thumb and forefinger of one paw; he placed them around David's ankled and held David up in the air--upside down! David awoke fully and screamed and yelled "Put me down now!"

That's when Ungorp had finished his phone call and entered the room. "What are you doing--hey! Put him down, gently!" Ungorp held the palm of one paw out, angled, and gently reached around David with the fingers of the other. He turned him right side up and placed him on the other cupped paw. Then he put David back on top of the dresser bureau and asked if he was hurt. David said he wasn't, but he was a bit shaken up.

David looked up at the 56 foot tall ten year old boy with a mixture of shock and anger. Ungorp looked down at his nephew. "That was very wrong! You're usually a good kid, but that was mean--you could have hurt him!"

Ungorp rarely got angry but this was one time that he was. Still, rather than hitting the boy he put one hand on his shoulder and tried to not get too angry. The boy is a kid...doesn't maybe realize what he did, he thought. Still, it was wrong...

"OK...he isn't hurt. I figured it would be...fun..."

"Not for him. He's so little--just because you're bigger, you can do this? I know some bigger animals have caused you trouble. You know how you felt, right?"

"Yes...OK, it was wrong..."

Ungorp sighed. "I haven't even introduced you yet. You should apologize to him--I've learned some "English" and he's learned some Wodlenian...he can pick up on what you're saying. All right. Vardoo, this is David Pratt from planet Earth. David, this is my nephew Vardoo."

Vardoo gave a brief, half-hearted wave. "Hello...I'm...I am sorry that I did that."

David looked up at the giant boy. The young fox had an expression of shame on his face. His tail was between his legs. David had no expression on his face but extended his right arm up. Vardoo gently put his thumb and forefinger around it.

"Hello, and thank you. I forgive you. Please be careful with me...I'm just simply this small."

Ungorp said to his nephew, "He's not a toy. He's not a pet. He is equal to you or me, just small in body. Maybe he can be your friend..."

"I could be your friend, yes," said David to Vardoo--"in fact you can protect me from harm."

Vardoo looked up at his uncle.

"You're a giant, young fox. To him. You know what it's like to be small and get hurt. But you can protect him. Be a giant...a kind one."

Vardoo respected his uncle and wanted to be like him. He knew Ungorp was kind. Vardoo looked down at David again. There was a connection--the boy realized that this odd looking animal, with no fur and no tail, was intelligent and understanding.

"Yes, I could help you...I feel sorry you're so tiny."

"I'm the right size on my own planet," David replied. "Now, if you ever visited Earth...that would be interesting..."

The boy's eyes lit up. "I'd be kind if I visited. I'd be helpful."

Ungorp chuckled. "I'd think you wouldn't go around picking up some human cars or causing destruction."

"I guess I might frighten you Earthlings anyway," Vardoo chuckled.

Vardoo held one paw down and asked David if he'd like to climb aboard. He agreed, and David found the boy lifting his hand up toward his face. It was like an elevator ride, the sight of the boy's T shirt passing in front of him and then finally he saw the massive head, red and white fur, long nose, whiskers and so on. David was so small he could fit in one of Ungorp's ears. Maybe even one of Vardoo's.

"Not a toy, not a pet...", repeated Ungorp. "I know it's tempting to treat him that way..."

David stood on the boy's paw, looking puny in the T-shirt, boxer shorts, and socks he wore to bed.

"Maybe I could take you to school and show the other cubs..."

Ungorp groaned. "Not everyone would treat him kindly...you really would have to be careful with him there." Cubs are cubs, he thought, and not all of them would be responsible. ---

Later Ungorp, Vardoo and David were on Ungorp's back porch enjoying the weather.

"I guess it's just destiny that I'm small and you're huge," said David. "Whomever made the universe decided it would be that way."

"We'll make the best of it," replied Ungorp. "Who knows, it could have been the other way around. You Earthings could be giants and we foxes and such could be tiny."

David stood up and held his arms out, hands cupped. He pretended to talk to tiny foxes in them. "Hello Ungorp."--on the left. "Hi Vardoo"--on the right.

"Be careful with us," laughed Vardoo.