Page 1
Long ago in an African village,
there was a man who called
himself "Manly Man"
because he was so strong.
"Don't brag about yourself,"
said his wife, Halima.
"There is a Forest Giant over the
hill who is stronger than you."
Page 2
The next day, Manly Man went over the hill to visit the Giant and prove that he was the strongest man of all. The Forest Giant wasn't home, but his wife showed Manly Man the herd of elephants in the backyard that the Giant would eat for breakfast.
Page 3
Then Manly Man heard heavy footsteps that made the walls rumble and shook the hills. "Quick!" he hollered. "Hide me in your garbage can before the Forest Giant eats me, too!"
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The Forest Giant arrived home and sniffed the air.
"Wife, what is that smell in our garbage can?
Is that the blood of a fresh young man?"
At that sentence, Manly Man jumped out
of the garbage can and ran for his life!
Page 5
The Forest Giant was in the mood for a tasty snack,
so he followed Manly Man. With every step,
the ground quaked beneath the Giant's huge feet.
Page 6
Manly Man passed ten shepherds watching their sheep.
"What is that whistling sound?" they asked him.
Manly Man answered, "It is the wind caused by the
Forest Giant chasing me. Run for your lives!"
Page 7
One of the ten shepherds ran by Halima while she was drawing water from the well. "There is a Forest Giant coming this way!" he yelled as he passed. Then Halima realized that her husband must have gotten himself in trouble.
Page 8
Halima knew of a Meadow Giantess who lived on the other side of town, where the grass grew tall and the giraffes roamed free. She boldly walked up to the Meadow Giantess' house and knocked on the door and said, "There's a Forest Giant coming who says he's the strongest giant in the land."
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"That puny Forest Giant?" the Meadow Giantess cried angrily.
"Why, I could kill him with a blow of my pinky finger." Without another word, she dashed out the door towards the Forest Giant.
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Just as Manly Man was getting too tired to run anymore,
the Meadow Giantess leaped over him in one bound
and punched the Forest Giant right in the stomach!
Page 11
The two Giants locked their legs and arms and started
wrestling. The force of their energy carried them up,
up, up into the trees and then into the clouds.
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Halima found Manly Man and brought him home.
"You were right," he said. "I should have been humble
about my strength."
Page 13
Up in the clouds, the two Giants continued fighting for
the rest of eternity. When they were tired, they took a rest.
When they were fighting, the clouds echoed with their roars.
Today, we call that noise thunder.
