The Great Giant And the Little Flower

Once there was giant, the giant lived high in the mountains in a beautiful palace on the outskirts of a small village. Because of stories passed down from generation to generation you would think that this giant would be fearsome and angry. But it was quite the opposite in fact. This giant was kind and caring, but nobody knew this because when the giant would venture down from his mountain home to the little town, the villagers would run and scream in fear not giving the giant a chance to show his caring nature. One afternoon when the giant came down from his mountain home the villagers tried to harm him, so the giant ran away from the village into a nearby meadow. The giant was angry at the villagers for not giving him the chance he felt like he deserved, so he ran through the meadow not caring about the plants that he was crushing under his large feet; but when he came close to the middle of the meadow he stopped, in the center of the great meadow stood an oak tree, almost as big as the giant himself. But the oak is not what made the great giant stop. Under the oak stood a single flower, its head held high, beautiful purple petals shining in the sun. The giant slowly approached the small flower and lowered himself next to it. He looked at the small flower, never before had he seen such a small yet proud thing his life. The flower was small, smaller than the giants little finger, but it held itself as if it ruled over the entire meadow. The mighty giant took a liking to the small flower and decided that it would be his little flower.

“My little flower,” he said softly, “That is what I shall call you.” He said softly running his finger over the velvet petals.

From then on the giant would lay beside the small flower protecting it from harsh winds and scaring away anybody who wished to cause the small flower harm. One day a fierce blizzard came, strong snow and winds swept across the meadow. The giant knew the small flower, no matter how proud and strong it looked, would not be able to survive the blizzard. So to save the small flower the giant scooped up the flower roots and all, and carefully placed it in the pocket of his jacket. He made the long trek home and when he arrived at his mountain home he placed the small flower in a pot, and went to get some soil. But when he came to the pot his flower was gone. In its place stood a small girl wearing a dress of the same beautiful purple color as the petals of his flower. The giant was angry at the disappearance of his flower thinking that the small girl had stolen it.

He lifted the small girl by the back of her dress, “Tiny girl, what have you done with my flower?” The giant growled at the small girl.

The girl spoke her voice smooth as water, “Dearest giant I am your flower. An evil witch cast a spell on me, telling me that only when somebody came and took pity on me and brought me into their home, roots and all, would I once again be returned to my true form. You have broken my spell!”

The giant instantly recognized the small girl for the flower he had fallen in love with. He could tell by the way the small girl held herself. Even in the presence of a great giant she did not tremble. She held her head high and proud and looked the giant straight in the eye.

“You speak the truth young one; tell me what is your name?” The giant asked the girl.

“I will go by the name that you have given me.” She said, “Little Flower.”

The giant made Little Flower a small bed of wood and gave her blankets of the softest silk. The girl was very happy with her giant. She did not fear him or want to escape him; she loved the giant with all of her heart. Every morning the giant would take the girl out onto the crest of a hill and place her on his shoulder and together they would watch as the sun painted the sky with a brilliant array of reds, orange, and yellows. Rumor reached the village of the small girl in the giant’s home, the one known as Little Flower. It was said that her hair was black as the darkest starless night. And her skin was as smooth as ivory. Her eyes were said to be the color of melted chocolate, big and expressive. And her laugh was as sweet as honey and rang throughout the valley whenever the great giant made her laugh. And her skin was the color of the darkest richest caramel. But the most famous thing about her was her singing. It was said that when she sang even the birds stopped to listen, all the animals in the valley froze and sat and listened to the girl sing her beautiful song. The great giant loved to hear the girl sing and she loved to sing for her gentle giant.

One afternoon while the pair was sitting on their little hill as they did every afternoon the giant asked the girl, “Oh Little Flower won’t you sing for me?”

Little Flower smiled for she loved to sing and make her giant happy, “Of course I will my giant.” The young Little flower opened her mouth and started to sing;

High up in the mountaintop lived a giant big as life

High up in the mountaintop lived a giant strong as a thousand men

A knight from the nearby kingdom happened to be out hunting that day and heard Little Flower singing, enchanted by the voice of Little Flower he followed the voice to where Little Flower and the great giant sat.

Upon seeing the small girl within the giant's hand he exclaimed, “Dear madden! I will save you from this great beast!” He got his sword and pointed it at the great giant who held the small girl against his chest in fear of losing her.

When the girl suddenly exclaimed, “Be gone with you petty knight I do not need to be saved by you!” The knight stood in shock never before had anyone spoken to him like this, “I am not in danger! Even if I was in danger do you think you could defeat a great giant with that petty piece of iron?”  

“But madden don’t you fear this great beast?” The knight asked in great confusion.

“This is not a beast, this is a great giant and I do not fear him. He does not need to be feared. Be gone with you!” Little Flower said with a wave of her hand.

The knight was in shock no madden has ever spoken to him in this way, “But madden-” He started.

“I said, be gone with you! Are your ears filled with water?” Little Flower said, the great giant chuckled at the humor of his little flower.

The knight shocked by the madden’s words turned his steed around and galloped away to tell the king of what he had just saw.

“Oh Little Flower how you do make me laugh.” The giant said rolling on his back laughing.

Little Flower sat on his chest laughing along with the giant and they went back into the giant’s large mountain home. The giant set Little Flower next to her small bed that sat next to the giant’s own bed on a large table. And they both fell fast asleep and lived happily ever after, In the giants mountain home.

The moral of this story is, do not judge a person on how they look. The large and scary can be quiet and kind. While the small and innocent can be large as life and proud. So next time you judge a person by their outside appearance...remember Little Flower and her Giant.

The End

Author's Note

This story is written in honor of my own Great Giant, who taught me to now judge a book by its cover. Thank you <3