The Giants and the Herd-boy facts for kids
The Giants and the Herd-boy is a fascinating fairy tale that comes from a region called Bukownia. It was first written down by a person named Dr. Heinrich von Wlislocki in his book, Märchen und Sagen der Bukowinaer und Siebenbürger Armenier. Later, a famous collector of fairy tales, Andrew Lang, shared this story in his popular book, The Yellow Fairy Book. This tale teaches us about kindness, honesty, and how good deeds can lead to unexpected rewards.
The Kind Herd-boy and the Injured Giant
This story begins with a young orphan boy who worked as a herd-boy. His job was to look after sheep for a rich lord. One day, while he was out with his flock, he discovered a huge giant who was badly hurt. The giant had injured his foot and was in pain.
A Helping Hand for a Giant
The giant promised the herd-boy a special reward if he would help him. The kind herd-boy didn't hesitate. He used his own shirt to carefully wrap and bind the giant's injured foot. This act of kindness impressed the giant very much.
A Magical Wedding Invitation
To thank the herd-boy, the giant invited him to a secret giants' wedding. He gave the boy a magical belt that made him invisible. This meant no one at the wedding could see him! The giant then took the herd-boy deep underground to the wedding celebration.
A Feast and a Secret Souvenir
At the wedding, the herd-boy enjoyed a wonderful meal. While he was there, he secretly took a loaf of bread. The next day, he tried to break off a piece of the bread to eat, but it was incredibly tough. He couldn't tear it apart, even with all his strength.
A Golden Surprise
Finally, the herd-boy decided to bite the bread. As he did, something amazing happened! A shiny gold coin dropped right out of his mouth. He used this unexpected gold coin to buy himself some much-needed food. This was just the beginning of his good fortune.
The Herd-boy's Secret Gifts
The lord who employed the herd-boy had a beautiful daughter. She was always very polite and kind to the herd-boy, which he appreciated. He decided he wanted to give her a special gift for her birthday.
A Bag of Gold for the Lord's Daughter
Using his magical invisible belt, the herd-boy secretly left a bag of gold for the lord's daughter on her birthday. He felt so happy doing this kind deed. He enjoyed the feeling so much that he continued to leave her secret gifts of gold for seven more nights.
The Discovery of the Secret Giver
On the eighth night, the lord, his wife, and their daughter decided to stay awake. They wanted to find out who was leaving these mysterious gifts. The herd-boy, perhaps a little too confident, forgot to put on his magical belt that night. Because he was visible, he was caught!
Leaving the Lord's Service
When the lord discovered it was his own herd-boy, he was surprised. He decided to send the herd-boy away from his service. The herd-boy left, but he still had the magical bread that produced gold.
A Surprising Return and a Happy Ending
The herd-boy used his new wealth to buy himself very fine clothing. He also bought a fancy coach pulled by beautiful horses. Dressed in his new clothes and riding in style, he returned to the lord's home.
Marriage and Good Fortune
The lord and his family were completely amazed to see the herd-boy looking so grand. When they heard about his incredible good fortune and how he had become wealthy, they were very impressed. They agreed that he was a worthy person and that he should marry their daughter. And so, the kind herd-boy and the lord's daughter lived happily ever after.
