An American Prince - Part One: The Hassinoc Giant

Once upon a time there lived a prince named Johnny from a kingdom called America. It was an odd kingdom because it didn't have any Kings or Queens. It only had a President and he was a strange creature that only lived for four or eight years. Therefore Johnny decided to find a kingdom where he belonged. He wanted a quiet kingdom with a castle and a princess because that is what every prince wants. He bought a comfortable sailboat and filled it with biscuits and cola. Then he began his journey. He followed the moon across the sea. Unfortunately, he was soon lost. The moon always swam too fast. He continued to sail, day and night. Then one night, the moon disappeared. The young prince was very worried. Luckily, the moon came back and he chased it again. Finally, after many weeks he saw land. He was excited, so he sailed directly at it. Sadly, the coast was rocky and his brave boat crashed. The prince was a poor swimmer. He took his only back, "Broadway Hits," and used it to float to the beach. He was glad to be on dry land. He carried his big book and walked down a grey road that led from the beach into a pine forest. The prince soon found himself among dark. Sweat smelling pines. He was very hungry, so he tried to eat some pine needles. They tasted horrible. Then he heard a loud voice. "Why is a fine young man like yourself eating pine needles?" It was a giant's voice. When Johnny turned around he saw an enormous man with wild, red hair and a bushy beard. "I'm far from home, sir," the prince replied," and I don't have anything else to eat." "Well I'll be a wedge of cheese if I'm wrong, but I'd swear that you're an American Prince!" The big man laughed. "However did you get to Hassling?" "Am I in Hassin?" Johnny asked. "Oh, I'm lost. I don't even know where Hassin is." American princes aren't very strong in Geography. "No worries then," the grant said," Come with me and I, Old Harold, will give you a proper meal." And so the prince and the giant walked until they came to a stone house with a heavy straw roof. They went inside and Johnny waited at the table. He was uncomfortable in the large chair, but he drank some wine. It helped. The giant brought a big roast, potatoes, carrots, fresh bread and two bowls of both. They ate in silence. They both couldn't say a word. You see, long ago the princes and the giants had a war. It was history, but in the silence the giant imagined swords and armour while the prince thought of clubs and boots. They both imagined blood and death. It was a long silence. Then Harold cleared his throat. "How about a song?" he suggested. Johnny opened his book. He sang a love song about a man in a big city returning to his small village home. Harold smiled a great smile and then sang about a fish that refused to be caught. Then Johnny sang about travelling and country roads and Harold sang about a wall of roses and they sang on and on and on, until they ran out of breath from singing and crying and laughing. They didn't feel uncomfortable now. Clubs and swords and war were in the past, where they belonged. When Johnny went to bed in Harold's guest room, he felt truly at home. After all, home is anywhere you have a friend that understands you.