Introduction

Ogre. Source: Pixabay

Giants. You know 'em. You love 'em. You've heard the stories, but you probably think that's all they are, just stories. Jack and the Beanstalk? Pecos Bill? The Jolly Green Giant? "They couldn't possibly be real!" you'd say...Luckily for all of us, you'd be wrong. Believe it or not, giants are alive, well, and living among us. Well, not quite among us. They've got their own little hideouts to avoid our incessant yammering. Nevertheless, they do meet up once a year, on the first weekend of April, in a location I have been asked not to disclose, for The Annual Convention of the Vertically Gifted.

This particular year's convention happens to have been quite special for a couple reasons. First off, it was the centennial event (the original get together having been held in 1921) and therefore saw a record turnout of giants in the hundreds. Secondly, having obtained special permission from the organizing committee, we were able to send one human reporter to give the outside world a brief glimpse into the larger lives of our gigantic brethren.

For the opening ceremonies, our man on the inside was fortunate enough to be seated with some of true legends such as the lumbering Paul Bunyan, the (near) invincible Antaeus, the fearsome and cunning Ogre of Rashomon, the unrelenting John Henry, and the big man himself, Goliath. What you're about to read are the stories of these awesome giants told by none other than those giants themselves.

Hear the famous tales like you've never heard them told before! Let Paul Bunyan tell you how the Great Lakes were (re)made. Find out whether Hercules really won that wrestling match with Antaeus. Hear Goliath's side of things for once! Thanks to the diligence of our reporter, you'll even get some of the side conversations--nothing like a little friendly jabbing between the young blood and the old guard to get the whole table laughing. It's all here in this series, completely and totally uncut and unembellished for your enjoyment. So grab a giant cup of joe, sit back, and take a look!

Image Credit: The Giant, 1923, by NC Wyeth. Flickr