by Amy Prater
Once there was a little girl named Ella. Her mother was sending her to market alone and they were discussing the journey. Ella saw the list was long and she asked her mom if they could do it another day with her brother, Clyde, or maybe make multiple trips to other, friendlier villages to avoid the Great Forest.
Her mother said, “Now, Ella, you know what your granddad always said, “Work smarter, not harder.” We could make several trips, but why when one trip will do?”
“But, Mama, I cannot go, I am just a little girl,” said Ella.
Her mother smiled, put her hand on her hip and said, “Your grandpa needs Clyde in the fields today. Ella, don’t let your fear do the talking. You are forever begging to do what Clyde does and you usually remind me that you are no longer a little girl. So, Ella, this is what I want you to say on your journey, whenever you are scared, say, ‘Be, bold, be brave, be unafraid’. I truly believe that you can do anything Clyde can do. You just need a little confidence.
“Okay, mom If you say so. Be bold, be brave, be unafraid.”So Ella took her mother’s list, put it in her bag, slung the bag over her shoulder and headed off towards the Great Forest.
She walked a long way and was having a pleasant trip. She got to the Market and gathered all of the items on her list; bread, eggs, flour and salt and some other fresh vegetables. She was feeling pretty cool, calm and collected, but then she neared the edge of the Great Forest and saw the foot of those huge trees and she just stood still.
The trees loomed over her and there were trees everywhere as far as she could see. She looked up above her and couldn’t see the tops of the trees. Ella chanted out loud, “Be bold, be brave be unafraid,” again and again, getting louder and louder. With each affirmation she felt bolder and braver and less afraid. She had made it almost through the forest when she saw two strange trees up ahead.
They were wider and broader and as she got up close she could see that they weren’t trees at all. They were two giant legs. She looked ahead of her, up and down and she identified two large, scary feet, with really big orange painted toe nails. The giant was wearing big leather sandals and as Ella’s gaze continued to look up she saw a bright orange dress, two huge bulking arms and a very large head of a very angry looking female Giant with wild, curly untamed red hair.
Then Ella, said to herself, “Be bold, be brave, be unafraid.” She cleared her throat, and said as loud and confident as she could, “Hi, I am Ella, are you new to these woods?”
The giant grunted and said, “New, these are my woods, who are you?”
Ella answered, “I am Ella, and I am traveling through these woods to get to my home. We must be neighbors.” She smiled with confidence and put out her hand to shake the giant’s hand, but she was even with the giant’s ankles. Ella withdrew her hand. “Excuse me; I didn’t catch your name.”
The giant frowned and said, “I am Maude but you don’t need my name because you are my lunch.” And then she let out a loud laugh which ended in a growl. But, Ella appeared unafraid. She said, “Nice to meet you, Maude. You don’t want to eat me. I am too smart. I bet I can teach you something.”
Maude laughed again, saying “You, you’re just a little girl!”
This time Ella laughed as loud as she could and she did her own version of a growl, but it sounded like a “Yee Hah!” She appeared confident all the same. Ella said, “Maude, I bet you cannot take a stone and get water from it. I can and I will show you how.
Then Ella reached in her bag and pulled out an egg and concealed most of it in her hand. Then she said, “Maude, you pick up a stone and squeeze as hard as you can. Then Maude, the giant squeezed with all her might, squeezing and grunting and grunting and squeezing. But nothing came out of the rock, not even a drop of water. Then Ella squeezed her “rock” and it oozed liquid all over the ground. Maude, the giant was amazed. She said, “Maybe you aren’t just a little girl. Do it again!”Ella just shook her head and said, “No but I can show how you something else!”
Maude said, “Ella, what else can you do?”
Ella answered, “So many brave and bold things you can’t count! But get anther stone and I will show you how to grind it into dust with your hands.” Maude picked up her rock and squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. But nothing happened. It was still just a rock.
Ella smiled, and pretended to pick up her rock and held her hand in a fist. She made a grunting sound and after a little while she opened her hand and brushed her hands together, scattering the dust or salt to the ground.
Maude was laughing in amazement. She said, “Wow. Look there! I usually scare everybody off when I threaten to eat them. But, you are a pretty amazing, brave little girl!”
Ella said, “I guess I am. Now, I am going to show you how to stomp someone into mud. Step over here and I will start with your pinky toe.” Maude laughed and said, “No, I believe you. I think I’ll need my toe. Well, it is almost dinner time. You want to come?”
Ella gulped and said, I thought you didn’t want to eat me for dinner.”
Maude said, “New, I was never going eat you. I just say that because that is what everyone expects a big giant to say. I expected you to run away but you stayed and we had a jolly ole time. I meant would you come to my house for dinner?”
Ella, smiled and said, “No, thank you, my mom is expecting me for dinner.Ella replied, “Maybe some other time. I will be traveling through these woods again soon. Maybe next time, I will let my little brother Clyde come.” Ella grinned and waved goodbye and she saw Maude wave back and then as she walked away, Ella said to herself, “I am bold, I am brave, and I am unafraid.”Ella got home safely to her mother and told her tale, tall but true, to her mother. Her mother hugged her and said, “See, I knew you could work smarter not harder and I always knew you were bold, brave and unafraid.”
The End
Or not, as I hope to use this story to inspire more bold, brave souls everywhere.
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