The Kinsfolk Living in a Land of Giants

By Sandy Zabel

What would it be like living in a world that is giant sized. When a huge giant walks by, the ground would shake like an earthquake. An apple would feed your family for days, but it would be too big to roll through the door. You would make all your home furnishings from what you could find; chairs from acorns, kitchen counters from broken giant knife blades and clothes from giant handkerchiefs.

Kirsten, Chase, Morrie and the other Kinsfolk have all the adventures of living in an over-sized world. Can they survive? How do they get food and medicine when they need them? Are they in danger of being stepped on by giants when they go outside?

Go with Kirsten and Chase as they enter Travera's Blacksmith Shoppe and the Colony behind the massive brick forge where the Kinsfolk live. Careful, there's giants in the shoppe and we must not let them know we're here!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Two His Glory Publishing
• Release date: Jun 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458145963

Sandy Zabel

Hi Writing must be in my blood since my father (Harold Scott) was a writer, my sister was a writer and now my daughter is a writer. I have always enjoyed writing. Some of my inspiration comes from listening to children talk and use their imaginations. I also illustrate my books and I love to draw coloring pages and color them with children.

Book preview

The Kinsfolk

Living In a Land of Giants

Author and illustrator

Sandy Zabel

COPYRIGHT © 2011 SANDY ZABEL

Published by Sandy Zabel of Two His Glory Publishing at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords,com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Ebook ISBN 978-1-4581-4596-3

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 -- An Unwanted Visitor

Chapter 2 -- Trapped Outside

Chapter 3 -- A Gift for Kirsten

Chapter 4 -- A Wedding in the Colony

Chapter 5 -- A Sudden Departure

Chapter 6 -- Chase Takes Chances

Chapter 7 -- A Fire in the Shoppe

This book is dedicated to my daughter Lindsey, who encouraged me and talked me through the rough spots. Thank you.

Sandy Zabel

*****

Chapter 1

An Unwanted Visitor

Chase scrambled up the ladder and ran over to Kirsten and Morrie. Quiet, there’s giants in the Blacksmith Shoppe and one of them has a dog, he whispered. I’m going up to the peephole and will let you know when it’s clear. Quietly he ran to the ladder and disappeared onto the level above.

Twelve year old Kirsten moved to the knothole couch beside Morrie who put her arms around the trembling kinsgirl. They sat silently waiting for the ‘all clear’ word from Chase. Giants in the Shoppe weren’t usually a problem because they were so loud their noise covered any sounds the kinsfolk made. A dog was trouble with its sniffing and snooping around. The kinsfolk were safe from the dog, being in the wall behind the massive brick forge, but if the dog caused the giants to start poking around, the kinsfolk would have to abandon the Colony and run for their lives.

They sat together, waiting, the old kinswoman and young kinsgirl. All the kinsfolk knew how important it was not to be seen by the giants. It was a rule that Kirsten had heard as long as she could remember. Even the thought of the giants made her tremble, which made Kirsten mad at herself. She felt like such a coward though Mom and Dad and Morrie all said she would have courage when she needed it. How can Morrie sit here so calmly and I’m scared and shaking, Kirsten thought. Is it possible to survive and be happy in a land that is so big and overwhelming?

Chase came down the metal curl slide from the level above. Its okay, the giant and his dog left. The dog was whining like he’d discovered something, but the giants ignored him, Chase said. Triboney said something about mice in the wall, and then they went back to talking. I’m going to tell the others it’s safe. Neither Triboney nor any of the other giants knew that his Blacksmith Shoppe was also the home of the kinsfolk. For years the giants had heard stories about little people that someone would get a glimpse of ducking into a hole or behind a rock. No one believed them, of course, but they made good bedtime stories for the giant’s children.

After Chase left, Kirsten turned to Morrie, Why weren’t you afraid of the giant’s dog? I was sitting right beside you and you weren’t shaking like I was.

When you have gone through as many experiences with the giants as I have, you conquer your fear, Morrie stated. Morrie was sixty years old and Kirsten thought of her as a grandmother even though they weren’t related. Morrie certainly looked like a grandmother with her plump figure and white hair. She put her sewing in her lap and looked at Kirsten. There’s always a little fear, or maybe I should call it a healthy respect, of the giants. Triboney is somewhere around 114 feet tall and being a blacksmith, very strong and dangerous. The tallest kinsman is Elan, your Dad at six foot two inches. He’s strong too, but no match for a giant.

Chase came up the ladder and sat down in a chair made from half an acorn with cushions inside. Chase, were you afraid when the dog was in the Shoppe? Kirsten asked. She looked at his tall, thin form draped over the chair. She liked Chase, but there were things about him that confused her. He was only thirteen years old, but he had no parents. He came and went as he pleased, which made Kirsten a little envious. She wondered where he went when he was gone several days, but he always brought back the best supplies. She could tell by watching Morrie that his adventures worried her, but Morrie never said anything.

Naw, what was there to be afraid of? Chase said. That dog couldn’t get to us and the giants were busy. He looked at Kirsten’s long, curly, dark hair and neat, clean dress. He knew she was trying to deal with her fear because Kirsten had talked with him before. Now she could tell he wanted to calm her, but wasn’t sure what would help. There are times to be cautious and watchful, like when you are out in the open and giants or animals are close, but this wasn’t one of those times. Being afraid never does any good; it makes you so you can’t think well.

Kirsten looked at the floor. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over being afraid. Morrie says I will with experience, but I don’t know. Everything is so big and overwhelming.

She’s probably right, Chase said. Kirsten looked so sad and miserable, he had to laugh. Why don’t you go get some old clothes on and we’ll go to the orchard and get a couple of plums. There might even be a giant or two out there you can fight with to get some experience, he teased.

I’ll go for the plums, but you can fight the giants, Kirsten said. I’ll be right back. She jumped up and ran to her bedroom.

Chase, you be sure and keep her safe. You know you’ll be in big trouble with her parents if you put her in danger, Morrie warned.

Yes, Morrie, we will look for just a little danger, maybe tiny giants, Chase teased. His eyes twinkled as he looked at the closest person to a Mother he had known for the last seven years.

Just as Kirsten was finished dressing, she heard a commotion on one of the lower levels of the Colony. As she came out of her room, she bumped into Chase. What is going on down there? she asked.

"I don’t know. It