As is often true, the jester knows best

No Way Down the Path

Once upon a time, there was a little town. Its fear-filled citizens lived in separation from the rest of the world. On the only path going out of the hamlet lived a huge, monstrous giant.

Many times, the knights of the citizenry would try to fight the giant. One knight used a hard wooden club. The giant crushed him with a club twice as big and twice as solid. Another knight attempted to burn the giant with scorching fire. The giant charred him with fire twice as big and twice as hot. Still another knight tried to slay the giant with a piercing sword. The giant brought down this knight with a sword twice as big and twice as sharp.

So the fear-filled citizens continued to live in separation from the rest of the world.

In Jest or Not?

Finally, the town jester said he knew what to do. The citizens scoffed at him and ignored him. “Come with me and see,” the jester said.

Very few followed the jester out to where the giant was sitting on the path that fateful day. The jester offered an apple to the giant. The giant took the apple from the jester and ate it. The giant then walked towards the jester with an immense closed fist.

The citizens were frightened and backed away. The jester stood his ground. The giant opened his huge fist

and handed the jester two apples, each twice as big and twice as sweet as the apple the jester had given him.

The jester next gave the giant a modest wooden mug of water. The giant gave the jester two large crystal vases filled with water twice as pure. The jester’s offering of a honey and raisin cookie was taken by the giant; the giant gave the jester back two grand fruit pies twice as delicious as the cookie. This kind of exchange continued.

Double the Pleasure

The citizens returned to the town to tell the others. From that day forward, they were no longer filled with fear. They left and returned to the town often, visiting the big, wondrous world to which the path led. Each time they passed the giant, they would smile happily. He would return the smile -- his smile twice as big and twice as glad.

(Adapted from an adaptation of Ed Stivender’s retelling of Aaron Piper’s “The Giant Who Was More than a Match” in The Story Factor by Annette Simmons.)

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