Once there was a very hard working farmer. He was blessed with a wife, three beautiful daughters and a very fertile farm. One day a sage arrived at his door step. The farmer welcomed him with open arms. He stayed with them for three days and became very impressed by the pleasing manners of his daughters. At the time of leaving he asked each of them a wish.
The eldest daughter, Durga said, “I am bored with this plain life put some adventure in it.”
The middle one, Devi said, “There is no doctor in our village so give me the power to cure humans as well as other creatures.”
The youngest, Amba said, “ I always misplace things and spend long hours to find them so please give me a book that can tell me where a particular person, place and thing can be located.”
The sage granted all the three wishes. From that day the farmer vested the responsibility of the cattle to Devi.
All went well for a few days but then she noticed that each night some cattle went missing. It was quite strange as there was no danger of the wild animals and no trace of any outsider in the farm. She shared the problem with her sisters and they all decided to keep a vigil on the cattle, at night turn by turn.
One night when Durga was keeping an eye on the cattle, she heard a thumping sound. She became alert and took position to attack the intruder. But she was taken aback to see a huge Giant before her. She put all her courage together and asked, “You are the thief of our cattle? Don’t you dare to move ahead?”
As against the conventional Giant, he replied in a humble voice, “O beautiful maiden, please forgive me. But my intention was not to trouble you. Each night I come to your cattle to eat some pests and leeches that feed on them but some cattle cannot bear to see me and collapse so I take them away with me.”
Durga asked surprised, “Who are you? Where do you live and why you need these pests and leeches to feed on?”
The Giant sighed, “My name is Gimo. I came from a far away land, Gimaland. It is the land of Giants. But no one likes me there. I am the black sheep of the kingdom. I do not like killing innocents to showcase my power. Neither I am good at magic. So they banished me. I live in a small hole just outside your kitchen window. I spend my whole day eating small insects, termites, flowers and fruits. But at night when you prepare dinner, the irresistible aroma of panchphoron ( a mix of five spices fenugreek, nigella seed, mustard seed, fenel seed and cumin seed) drives me crazy and I come to your farm and eat some leeches etc. on the cattle. Earlier it was too easy for me. But now when your sister Devi has taken charge of the cattle, the area is well lit and organized.”
Durga was surprised by the Gimo’s strange story but she was a courageous girl. She asked, “Can you return our cattle back?” Gimo gladly agreed. He took Durga to the backyard and entered a small hole and came back with the cattle in just a few seconds. Durga was amazed to see such a huge Giant entering and coming back through a tiny hole.
Seeing her amazement the Gimo replied with a curved smile, “I am bad at magic but some magic is in my blood.” His humor made Durga smile and she promised him dinner the other night and Gimo made her promise the secrecy of the whole incident.
In the morning, Devi was surprised to see the cattle back. When she asked Durga about it, “How do I know?” She replied.
From that night, it became a routine for Durga to bring secretly some food for the giant. Gimo was quite fond of her culinary skills. His praise encouraged her to prepare more and more delicacies day by day. Her sisters were surprised by the variety of food in dinner and her parents were happy with her interest in cooking. They thought that the time had come for her marriage.
But she became very upset with the talks of her marriage. That night when she went to Gimo with food she was very sad.
She said, “Now only a few days are left, my parents are seeking alliance for me. Who will give you food after my marriage?”
Gimo who was busy in chewing sprouts suddenly stopped, “O Hell! My tooth.”
He screamed and pulled out a large molar. First he laughed and then he started sobbing inconsolably, with the tooth clenched in his fist.
“I am so sorry. I was very upset today. Was anything wrong in the food that caused this?” She asked confused by his behavior.
Gimo sighed, “No it has nothing to do with the food. It is a good omen of the end of my exile from Gimaland. All I have to do is to go there and drop my tooth in the pool of wishes. The Tooth fairy will grant me a wish.”
“What is your wish?” she asked.
“I want to be human and marry you.” He simply proposed her.
That unexpected proposal made Durga very happy. She said good bye to Gimo as he was leaving for Gimaland with a promise of returning soon.
From that night Durga started waiting desperately for Gimo. But a sudden outbreak of leeches on cattle surprised Devi. She had to cure them by a particular medicine. She asked Amba, where to find it. Amba opened her book and said, “You can find it deep in the forest.”
She went to the forest early in the morning. When she was busy in collecting the medicinal herbs, she heard the sound of cracking of twigs. She was shocked to see a panther just a few feet away. Just when the panther was about to pounce on her, a muscular warrior came from no- where to her rescue. After a fierce fight the panther ran away. But it left the warrior with some fatal injuries. Devi was delighted as she knew he will be soon fine with her medicine. She had fallen in love with him, the moment she saw him. She took him home. It took almost a month for him to get well and tell his story of being at the right place on right time.
He was the youngest price, of the neighboring state Anuj. When his father grew old, he called all his three sons and said, “I want the strongest of you to become the king. The strength of a warrior lies in his sword. So go to the distant places and bring a strong sword. The one coming back with the strongest sword within a year will be declared my successor. ”
All the three princes went to different directions. Anuj travelled a lot of places. One day he came across a sage. He told the prince that the nail of a giant makes the strongest sword. Nails are made of a protein, keratin W. Animals and Giants often use them as weapon against the enemies. “But where can I find a giant?” he asked.
“Desperate ones find a needle in the grass. I am just talking about a giant. Usually a hole is the way towards Gimaland the land of giants.” Sage said.
After many difficulties he found the right hole and reached Gimaland. It was very easy for him to be there unnoticed because of his small size but to get the nail of any of them was a tough nut to crack.
After some time, he observed that only the King of the giants had long manicured nails, rest of the giants had brittle, broken nails due to hard work. The prince wanted the best so he decided to get the King’s nail. He started living in close vicinity of the king and observed that every Monday a barber came for his hairdo and manicure. The prince planned to pick up a nail from the waste. But man proposes and God disposes.
On Monday, the barber came. After trimming the kings nails he started massaging the moisturizer on his nail bed and cuticle. Tempted by the sight of target so close he picked up the nail and wrapped it under his robe, he was on the top of the world. But he stumbled upon a bowl of water and fell in it, splashing some water on the mirror that the barber and the King were using. They both noticed the splash and he got caught.
He could not believe his misfortune when they convicted him guilty of trespassing. An order to hang him till death was passed. He was brought to an amphitheater. The whole Gimaland was present there to see the death penalty of the tiny trespasser. He cried and pleaded for mercy but no one was there to listen to him except the son of the King, Gimo. He came with a thumping sound. He ordered to stop the hanging. He showed them his tooth as a gesture of authority to stop the order. Everyone bowed before him.
He went to the wishing pool and dropped his tooth in it. A tooth fairy appeared to grant him a wish. He wished the prince’s freedom and safety.
The fairy granted it and said, “You are a real prince Gimo you ignored your own wish for an unknown stranger.”
Anuj was set free. When he was crossing the jungle he saw the panther and Devi and eventually landed in farmer’s house.
His story unfolded the secret of delay in Gimo’s return and Durga started sobbing at her opaque future. After knowing the reason of her sorrow the farmer’s family became shocked. But Anuj came forward to help her.
He said, “I owe Gimo my life. I can take you to him”. Initially, the farmer had some reservations but after some persuasion he agreed to send his girls to Gimaland with Anuj.
When Amba asked them, “Do I open the book to find the way to Gimaland?” Durga took them to the hole in the backyard and said, “This is the way.” pointing towards the hole.
They all entered the hole and slid. In no time they were in Gimaland. Anuj guided them well through the city and finally they met Gimo. It was a pleasant surprise for him to see his lost love at his own place. But soon his pleasure was replaced by a sad smile.
“Sorry Durga, I cannot fulfill my promise. You go back. We can never share any future together.” He said.
“There is no U turn in love. It doesn’t bother me that you are a Giant. I will marry only you.” Durga replied.
“I cannot come with you right now. Some epidemic has hit our country. People are falling ill and dying in large numbers. You go. I will come after this is over.” He said.
“I can cure them.” Devi proposed enthusiastically.
With the help of Gimo, Devi set up a temporary shelter and started treating the infected Giants. Soon she found out that the reason of that infection was water. The water they were drinking lacked the required nutrients. The body became weak without those nutrients and weak body got easily infected.
“Earlier a river used to come into our land from deep forest but suddenly it stopped, may be due to scarce rain. So we have to move to alternate sources of water.”Gimo said.
Amba opened her book and said, “I can tell you the appropriate source of water. You can bring the water from Mt. Ginto to your land. That water is fit for your people.” Gimo stared her for a while, then he regained composure and said, “That is not possible. No Giant, even the most fierce warrior, has been able to reach Mt. Ginto. I am a Giant with below average capacity and valor. How can I bring the water to my land?”
“Together we can do it.” Anuj and Durga said at the same time.
Their encouragement raised Gimo’s morale but he could not convince his father about bringing the water to Gimaland. As always, Gimo was left alone by his father and his people. But his love and friends were there for him.
Devi decided to stay in Gimaland with Amba and treat the infected giants. Gimo, Anuj and Durga left for Mt. Ginto. Amba handed a map for the shortest route to Mt. Ginto. To keep pace with Gimo, Durga and Anuj tied themselves with him from long flexible and strong ropes.
While Gimo’s task was to clear the area for the water, Durga and Anuj kept themselves busy with the spiders, flies, bugs etc, which were no less than their size. After a tedious walk of three days, they reached their destination.
But the water fall was blocked by a huge rock.Too huge for Gimo too. Seeing such a huge obstacle they all filled with sorrow and remorse. But Prince Anuj got an idea. He asked Gimo to bring a huge log of wood and use it as a lever to move the rock. He did so and it worked.
The water of the stream came with full force taking three of them with its flow to the path they had made on their way to Mt.Ginto. The current of the stream was so strong that within a few hours they were in the Gimaland. The people of Gimaland welcomed the stream with cheer and applaud. It took the course of the old lake that used to come from the forest earlier.
Miraculously, it washed away the epidemic from the city within a few days. They all thanked Gimo and his friends for their help.
The King said, “Gimo, I know that you love Durga. So it be. I will make you human.” After that he looked at the pool of wishes. He dropped his tooth in the pool and the tooth fairy appeared and gladly granted his wish. The huge Gimo transformed into a handsome young man. The whole Gimaland cheered with joy.
Although they knew that Gimo was different from them but after witnessing his valor and selfless devotion during epidemic, they all wished happiness for him. Gimo and his friends left Gimaland after a tearful farewell.
Prince Anuj won the contest and became the King.The farmer was very happy to get suitable grooms for his daughters. He arranged for two grand weddings with the help of the villagers.
When, the friends teased Amba, “Where is your groom?” She took her book and smiled, “I will know when the time will come.” Both her sisters laughed, hugging her affectionately.
