The Giant Who Hated Fighting

Paplu was a nine-year-old giant, and he was very different from the other giants. They loved to fight, but Paplu hated fighting. His classmates liked to pull the tails of tigers and twist the ears of dinosaurs. Paplu was always busy protecting his friends.

Paplu’s mother was worried about him. One night she woke him up. “Son, you will never be happy with our people. I’m taking you to a village where normal people live. You will stay there with Raghav, the village leader.”

Just before they reached the village, his mother told him to close his eyes. When he opened them, he almost fainted. He was only one-tenth of his size, and so was she! His mother left him with Raghav and went home. Soon Paplu made friends with all the boys and girls in the village.

One day, Raghav came home looking very worried. “A cruel bandit called Angaar has blocked the only road out of our village. We can’t get to our farms. Soon we will have no food.” Paplu wanted to help. Then he remembered something. Before he left the forest, his mother had taught him some magic words. They could make him a giant again!

But Paplu couldn’t remember the words. He tried everything. He even stood on his head and pulled his ears. Nothing worked. Then he heard a little voice. “Paplu, play with me, pleeease!” It was Soni, his two-year-old neighbor and best friend. He threw her up in the air and caught her, and she started to sing a little song.

Paplu froze. The song sounded very familiar! He ran inside and came back with a blue stone. Now he remembered his mother’s words: “Throw the stone in the air and say: I’ll throw you up, I’ll catch you quick. Don’t forget my magic trick.” Paplu threw the stone and said the words. Right away, he started to grow like a balloon.