The Pearl and Crystal Garden

A Short Story Inspired by ‘The Selfish Giant’

Written by Class 6 - 2013

Illustrated by all classes

with the help of Sue Salter

ISBN 978-1-291-53490-0

CHEVENING CEP SCHOOL

Dedicated to all of our amazing children,

who bring such colour and life to our community

and the wonderful Sue Salter – artist in residence.

Written in celebration and with faith.

© Chevening St. Botolph’s CEP School 2013

First Edition ~ All rights reserved

ISBN - 978-1-291-51135-2

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This book is sold at cost price so that as many people as possible may enjoy it.

We hope it inspires.

If you have enjoyed reading and would like to contribute to charity,

may we suggest one that is close to our hearts?

The Research Department of the Royal Marsden Hospital

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The Pearl and Crystal Garden

Stirring after a lengthy slumber (where decades were but passing moments); the enormous giant awoke.

He stretched, rose and wandered towards the bright, light-filled window.

An odd sight greeted weary eyes - the giant rubbed them in disbelief.

“What is this?” he bellowed. “Children everywhere!”

He was outraged to find children running, jumping and playing in his garden – the same garden he had toiled over so hard and so long.

The same garden he had built with hours of sweat and labour.

Furious –

Anger, rage and greed blackened his shrivelled heart.

“Those children might stamp on my grass; they might pull up my flowers, pick my fruit. I will not let that happen.

They will not destroy all I have created with my own hands.

I will build a wall, my wall, to protect my garden and my creation.”

“Get out!” he shouted

“Get out of my land!”

The children ran as fast as they could.

Waving his fist in the air, the giant thundered outside.

With no time wasted, he toiled hard into the night and then the next day, securing his beautiful garden from invaders – stone upon stone.

He fashioned a huge wall; surrounding, protecting, encasing what was rightfully his and his alone.

Satisfied, the giant strolled back to his house, knowing he had kept out all unwelcome visitors – or so he thought…

But Winter came – and stayed – seemingly forever.

The giant gazed below at his kingly garden -

frost, crystal and pearl.

The ice and snow carpeted the land, shimmering and glistening; but suffocating all underneath. Frozen crystals danced and spun in the wind.

“It’s beautiful –

- I hate it!” he thought.

The wild wind whistled angrily in response – as if to bear witness against this selfish man. Winter hijacked the land but there was no ransom to be paid.

Icicles formed like silver daggers: a fierce winter took root, a winter to never forget. Once a paradise, now a misery. The wind howled, the snow thickened and the trees wailed. Joy had been banished, banished forever.

The leafless trees offered shivering, withered hands as futile protection against the unyielding wind. They shrugged their branch-like shoulders, begging for a truce or at least a little mercy.

“Where in this world are our new leaves?” they whispered to each other.

“Where is the spring?”

Lifeless, was the icy ground. Reflecting darkness rather than light, icicles continued to creep and crawl down from the rooftop.

“Why winter? Why me? Not one of my bulbs have smiled… not one!” complained the giant bitterly. Not one blade of grass has survived the battle of the seasons. No birds. No cheerful song. No hope.

The icy breath of winter flooded the flowers, taking away their very souls.

“The grass is playing ‘hide and seek’ with me,” he wailed.

“How has this happened? Someone knows. Could it be me? Could I be the cause of all this misery?”

The wall towered menacingly, higher than ever, it seemed to grow. Each day, shadows were cast thin and long against the bleak scene. The giant peered into the window, his only real companion; and saw an old crooked man, etched with wrinkles staring back. “Is this me? A prisoner inside my own cell?”

The giant listened to the clock ticking with the passing of time - day after day after day; night after night.

A vivid image of those wonderful creations, the young ones, danced into his mind – but he blinked and washed them away.

But wait – was that a drop of colour – over there in the corner?

Was there a spray of golden colour creeping through the wall?

BANG! The battered and bruised door flew open. A treacherous wind blasted through – no care to knock and the garden summoned him without. There in the corner was a crack in the wall. Building up courage to battle the elements, hauling on his bottle-green overcoat and toughest black boots, the giant ventured outside to squint through the small fissure.

Blinking with shock, a burst of sunshine filled his eyes – children playing, birds singing, fun, games, love – everything that was missing from his devastated white kingdom was there. Spring had sprung all over the land with remarkable, awe-inspiring beauty; but in the giant’s mysterious garden, not one petal had appeared. The flowers held captive by ice.

The birds roamed freely and cheerfully in the outside world but none would look in the direction of his cold-hearted garden.

“Spring is here – but not in my walled land,” he thought.

Outside I hear the sweetest of songs. The giant returned to the house, misery gripping his heart.

“Why have I not been given my joy, my love, my hope?”

In front of that barren and lifeless window – the giant looked so sad,

like his frozen, lifeless garden.

The trees bowed down – ashamed.

They were ashamed to be witness. The snow damped sound and soul.

Never spring – always winter, such winter, beautifully ugly.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a little child appeared through the crack in the wall. She looked cautiously around and crept into the garden.

“Wait…”

The giant held his breath.

“Do my eyes deceive me?

Is it really… a chink of spring?”

A burst of colour followed the little girl as she explored curiously.

Beautiful shades and tints of colour crept into the garden, marking her footsteps like a striking, silky tapestry.

Bulbs jumped to attention

as she passed by.

But then something disturbed the young child – as if suddenly aware of the giant’s enquiring gaze. She took fright and left, the cold darkness returned to swallow up all trace of her fleeting presence.

Giant tears fell.

“The children used to love it here, until I made that wall,” he thought.

“When the children were here the trees were dancing with them. How could I be so selfish? The last time I saw the sun was when the children were here – in my garden; in their garden? Perhaps I pushed those joyful, little rays away myself? If only I hadn’t built that wall, if I hadn’t yelled at the children, if I hadn’t been so selfish; spring would have come.

But spring won’t come. Not ever.

It can’t – not without my help. It won’t come until love fills my heart.”

In a rage he swiped at the old books cowering on a nearby shelf.

They crashed to the floor, raising a dusty cloud.

“Why has this happened Lord?” shouted the giant.

Silence.

The giant’s eyes fell, downcast, onto a book resting precariously

open at the top of the pile.

‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’

Suddenly, the giant knew what to do.

He seized an enormous hammer and strode purposely outside.

“I will destroy that wall; I will destroy this winter.”

With one heavy strike a huge hole opened up. Spurred on, he continued until a complete section fell. The unfolding scene held him as still as a statue long ago forged and weathered by the seasons.

Bluebells he so longingly wanted to sprout, burst through with vibrant colour as the endless savannah of white started to melt away.

Children skipped into the garden to play; their warmth and goodness healing the buds and enriching new bulbs. The more children came into the garden, the more beautiful it became – a beauty that you cannot describe.

Dreamily, the giant watched a pathway of colour unfold - created by grace, happiness and love. The garden was brought back to life and the giant seemed to share in this renewal. With each new enormous swing, he crushed the wall; and as it fell, spring came rushing in.

Every blade of grass painted green again. Delightful daisies lit up the scene, whirling leaves chased bustling blossoms, endless vines followed the children’s cheer.

Happiness danced through the garden and pierced the giant’s heart.

“Beauty beyond description resides in this paradise once more.”

The garden smiled brightly and the giant’s heart grew to fill his heaving chest.

“Please forgive me.

This is your garden little children.”

He sat, exhausted, watching life, love and joy burst forth all around him.

The giant closed his eyes as an overwhelming feeling of peace, lovingly enveloped him.

Now he could rest.

Other Publications by

Chevening CEP School

(You can click here to find out more)

The Faith Book

The Grace Book

The Pearl and Crystal Garden

12 Carols of Exaltation and Joy

Get That Book (Book Reviews)

Get That Book Too (Book Reviews)

In addition

Oscar’s Keyrings – Collaboration project

Secrets of a Ballistic Cat – Stella Whitelaw

For more information or purchases

(in digital and physical forms)

www.lulu.com/spotlight/Chevening

Table of Contents

The Pearl and Crystal Garden

Other Publications by Chevening CEP School