A Giant Friendship

By giant30

Based on story idea by Smash

It was a beautiful warm summer day. Thomas and his sister Gretta were walking through the woods laughing and playing while on their way to a little playhouse they had built. However, they suddenly became lost and didn't know where they were. None of their surroundings looked familiar to them at all.

They walked around for a bit to see if they could find out where they were but still didn't know, and the further they walke,d the more they got lost. Gretta became scared and said, "Thomas, what will we do if we can't get home? Mother will be worried."

Thomas said, "I don't know Gretta, but we aren't having any luck finding our way out; let's keep walking."

Thomas and Gretta walked on for what seemed forever and came upon a small clearing that led to a small hill. Thomas and Gretta decided to stay there for the night even though it was still early in the daytime because they knew they wouldn't get out of the forest anytime soon. They would pick up their journey in the morning.

While they were sitting down talking, they heard a huge moaning noise-- like someone in pain, only much louder. Gretta asked her brother, "D-D-Did you hear that?"
Thomas, who was equally as scared, said, "Yeah I did; it sounded like it came from over the hill!" Thomas and Gretta climbed up the hill to see if they could see anything.

When they got to the top of the hill they couldn't believe what they saw. Lying on his back was the biggest giant they had ever seen!!.....he was easily 275 feet tall!! He looked to be unconscious or even asleep but they were afraid to approach. However, Gretta suddenly spotted a cut on the giant's leg and she said, "Oh no! the giant is hurt; we have to help him!"

Thomas stopped his sister before she could go anywhere and said, "Are you crazy? What if he wakes up and sees us?....We'll get eaten!!"

Gretta looked at her brother and said, "That's why we have to help him now, while he's asleep!" After some convincing she talked Thomas into going over to see about tending to the giant's wound.

Luckily, Gretta had brought along some water and began cleaning the cut on the giant's leg just barely being able to reach it. It took her almost a half an hour to clean the wound but she finally managed to get it all clean. Then she took a long piece of cloth she had in her knapsack and taped it to the giant's leg as a sort of bandage.

The kids were so busy working on tending to the giant that they didn't notice his arm begin to move. When they heard the giant moan again they stopped what they were doing and froze solid. They turned around and they saw the giant looking down at them with a smile on his face; they thought surely he would eat them then and there.

Gretta and Thomas ran as fast as their little legs could carry them and hid in a small cave. They felt the ground shake so they knew the giant had stood up. Seconds later they turned to see a huge eye pearing in at them; Gretta let out a horrified scream and Thomas said, "Stop screaming, he'll know we're in here!"

Suddenly they heard a booming voice say, "There's no need to be frightened little ones; come out where I can see you." Gretta and Thomas peeked out and saw the giant sitting in front of the cave Indian style; he smiled down at them and encouraged them to come out. Very slowly, Gretta and Thomas came out from the cave and stood before the giant.

Looking up at the giant was even more intimidating than when he was lying down. He had a huge frame that even if he had been a normal sized person he would still have been a very large individual. Pointing to his patched up wound; the giant asked, "Are you the ones who fixed my injury?" Thomas and Gretta both nodded nervously.

The children weren't going to say anything but then Thomas shouted, "Please Mr. Giant sir, we didn't mean to disturb you; please don't eat us!"

The giant looked down at Thomas who was on his knees begging and said, "Do not be frightened children, I mean you no harm; and please, call me Goliath."

Gretta and Thomas soon became comfortable being around Goliath and mustered up the courage to get closer to him. As they approached, Goliath lowered a colossal hand down to them. When they saw his hand come down they backed up in a fright. Goliath told them it was alright and to climb in, which they did.

Goliath gently lifted his two tiny friends up to get a closer look at them. Being in his hand really made them realize that they could trust him and not to worry about him harming them. Goliath asked them why they were in the forest alone and Gretta replied, "We were out playing and we got lost. We can't find our way back home; our mother will be worried."

Goliath felt sorry for his tiny friends and said, "Well, you are welcome to stay with me; in the morning I will assist you in finding your way back home; now in the meantime, young children like yourselves need to rest, it's getting dark." Gretta asked where they would sleep and Goliath had an idea.

Goliath tore a good sized amount of material from a sack he carried with him. He told the children to take two sticks of the same size and stick them in he ground which they did. Then, Goliath took the cloth and draped it over the sticks that were standing in the ground.....an instant tent. Gretta and Thomas went inside the tent and fell fast asleep.

Goliath laid down on the ground next to the tiny tent and soon fell asleep himself. While sleeping he wondered if he would be able to help the children get back home to their mother. The very next day would be a challenging one because in his quest to get the children home safely, an evil individual would try and stop them.

Part 2

The next day Gretta, Thomas and Goliath woke up early to begin their journey to find Gretta and Thomas's home. Gretta said, "I hope we can find our way out of this forest, I miss Mother so much. I know she is terribly worried."
Goliath replied, "Don't worry Gretta, I will help you and your brother find your home; you have nothing to fear."

Thomas and Gretta climbed in Goliath's hand and they were soon off to find Thomas and Gretta's house. As they were making their way up a straight stretch in the path a huge plume of smoke came out of nowhere and an evil warlock appeared. He was wearing a purple robe with stars and moons on it and a pointed hat with the same features.

The children looked over the side of Goliath's hand and when they saw the warlock, they were scared. The warlock introduced himself as The Great Merlot (pronounced Merlow). He said in an evil voice, "So Goliath, we meet again; I warned you that if I caught you in this forest again that you would pay dearly."

Goliath replied, "Foolish Merlot, you forget that a warlock's spell cannot harm me; your powers are useless against me." Merlot looked at the children in Goliath's hand and said, "It is not you I shall waste my time with. Hand over the children and I will let you leave the forest."

Goliath said, "No, I will not allow you to harm the little ones."

Merlot said, "Very well Goliath, I will just turn them to stone while they are still in your hand." Goliath covered Gretta and Thomas up with his huge hand just as a pink beam shot out of Merlot's hand; it bounced off Goliath's hand and hit a tree which was instantly turned to stone. Merlot became angry and challenged Goliath to try and stop him.

Goliath put Gretta and Thomas down next to another small cave and told them to go inside. Merlot started to go after them but was soon captured by Goliath and lifted skyward. Merlot looked at Goliath who seemed to be getting angry and said, "What will you do with me now?"

Goliath replied, "I ask that you leave the children and me alone to finish our quest."

Merlot answered, "And if I refuse?"
Goliath said, "If you refuse you shall be sent on a journey from which you will never return."

Merlot laughed evily and said, "You say you are going to throw me from this place? Your words amuse me." Goliath leaned his arm back as if he was going to throw Merlot but then Merlot began begging him to stop. Merlot shouted in a terrified voice, "Please Goliath, don't throw me to my death! I will do anything you ask."

And with that Goliath said, "I command that you leave this place and let my little friends and I continue on our journey." Merlot agreed and when Goliath put him down he ran a few steps and then disappeared.

Gretta and Thomas came out from hiding and Goliath lowered his hand to them. They climbed in and once again set out on their journey. It was late in the afternoon when Goliath and the children reached the clearing of the forest where they had entered. Once out of the forest it only took a few steps from Goliath before Thomas and Gretta spotted their humble home.

Pointing to a tiny cottage in the distance Gretta said, "There it is!.....I see it!........and mother is waiting for us!" Goliath approached the tiny cottage slowly and when they arrived he gently set his hand on the ground so that Thomas and Gretta could be reunited with their mother. Gretta and Thomas's mother thanked Goliath for bringing her children home safely; to which Goliath replied, "Twas nothing madame, I was glad to be of service."

From that day forward, Gretta, Thomas and Goliath remained very good friends. They laughed together, sang together, even shared joy and sorrow together. It was a friendship that would withstand the test of time; and some say that if you enter that very forest, you can still hear the three friends laughing together and sharing the joy of frienship.

THE END