Tall Tale

The scene begins in the Hall of the Gods with several cherub-like creature sitting in a circle around a cloaked being dressed in white, the cloaked being holds a glowing book of gold and looks over at the cherubs with glowing blue eyes.

"Tell us a story!" one of the cherubs exclaims.

"Very well.. I shall tell you a story of when I was young.." the cloaked figure replies.

"Oh! This will be fun!" one of the cherubs says excitedly.

The cloaked figure smiles a little beneath the hood and opens the book, the pages sparkling as the text began to come to life before the cherubs eyes..

"Long ago, in a far away land, there lived a giant who was known across the land for his great and splendid castle - every day he would open the castle gates and allow children to play in his garden while peasants and kings alike would feast at their leisure and listen to enchanting songs and tales of bravery..

Yet one day the giant was visited by a terrible enchantress who placed a wicked curse upon him, day by day the giant's heart grew ever darker until at last he closed his castle gates to the world and chased away any who dared to venture too near..

Indeed the giant grew so terrible that one day he raised his entire castle high into the sky so as to hide its splendor from the rest of the world - covering the castle with dark storm clouds and planting horrible stinging plants in his garden so as to frighten away nesting birds or animals, so great was his hatred of the world he had once been so proud of..

Far below in the world of man kings and peasants alike hung their heads in shame as children cried out for the kind giant they had once played with - yet their calls were ignored as the giant locked himself in his castle.

Eventually a young girl by the name of Faith decided to speak with the giant despite the fears of her mother and father, gathering a basket of golden apples she flew to the giant's castle with the aid of a passing swan.

Faith saw the stinging plants that spread across the giant's garden and knew she couldn't cross them, so she once again asked the swan to aid her - together they flew across the garden, avoiding the stinging plants and landed on the ledge of one of the castle's many windows.

The swan dared not enter the giant's home but Faith was not afraid, she thanked her feathered friend and proceeded further into the castle - finding the giant sitting alone at his great table.

"What troubles you, kind giant? you have grown so cold to the world -" Faith asked.

"The people laugh at me, they mock my kindness.." the giant replied.

"Dear giant, they laugh because you bring them happiness - you are far from mocked.. listen.. the children call for you by name.. they miss you.." Faith said in turn.

"They miss the garden, they miss the feasts - they care not for me.." the giant retorted.

"Dear giant, is the garden not made by your hand? did you not make the feast even kings could not resist? was it not you who sang great tales that made old soldiers cry and had even the wisest wizards debate long into the night?" Faith reasoned.

"Mankind is greedy and fickle, when I grow old and unable to serve them they shall toss me aside.." the giant continued.

"That is unfair, good giant - mankind is no more greedy or fickle than any of the Maker's creations.. was it not you who scolded the braggarts and praised the humble? was it not you who told tales of brave heroes and the virtue of sharing? the people listened to your tales, kind giant, when they returned to their homes they lived by your wisdom.. that a kind word can overcome the wicked lies and that a moment of peace can undo centuries of violence.." Faith replied.

As Faith finished the giant bowed his head in thought, yet the enchantress was not yet done and appeared before the giant and Faith - intent on hardening the giant's heart further as she spoke out:

"You speak of kindness and virtue, yet these are but words.. show us the beauty of the world - if you can..".

Faith was not afraid of the enchantress as she took a single apple from the basket and held it towards the giant, "..the greatest beauty in the world is a gift given freely.. that is why the world will grow to know your name, kind giant.. I promise you this.."

The giant raised his head at this and looked to the apple, a smile returning to his face as the enchantress' curse was broken and the terrible witch vanished in a puff of smoke, never to return to the giant's heart.

With a great laugh the giant did take Faith in his arms and made things right, his great castle returned to the land of men and the garden was rid of the stinging plants - the storm clouds vanished as children once again played in the castle garden and great feasts were arranged.

So it was that the kind giant was known as "Good William" and lived for many long and happy years and just as Faith had promised his name lives on in the memory of man as "Goodwill".."

The cloaked figure closed the book and the cherubs all looked at her wide-eyed, some began to chatter amongst themselves.

"What happened to Faith? or the swan? where did the enchantress go?" the cherubs asked.

The cloaked figure chuckled a little as she got to her feet, "..those are stories for another time, children.. I must go..".

With that the cloaked figure departed into a white void, the cherubs disappearing from sight.