The Giant’s Wife

The Giant’s Wife

My godfather tried to warn me about him, but I didn’t listen. I was young and in love. Well, what’s not to love? He was a big gorgeous hunk that loved me like no one else ever had. Besides he had that big castle and more than enough money to buy me whatever I wanted. He promised I wouldn’t ever need to worry about a job. So when he swept me off my feet, I let him carry me right straight over the threshold. But it wasn’t happily ever after.

Everything was fine at first. The honeymoon was great fun. I got pregnant right away. I was kind of nervous, jumping into motherhood and all. He really wanted to. He was so excited. You should have seen him bragging to all his friends. He was the man.

I remember the first time he ever really yelled at me. The baby’s room needed some work. I was way to big to do it. He was always busy at work. So I hired a handyman to help out. Mike was a nice young fellow that needed the work. Everything was fine until one afternoon I was sitting on the floor putting lace on the bassinet. I was so big I got stuck and couldn’t get up. It was so funny. Mike was just laughing with me and helping me get off the floor when my husband walked in. He got so red in the face. He grabbed Mike and threw him out of the castle. Fired him on the spot. I tried to stop him, to tell him what happened, but he didn’t listen. He just kept yelling. Told me I was stupid not to know about men like that. He carried on so much it really scared me. He felt bad about it later. He gave me a big bouquet of flowers with a really lovey-dovey note the next day.

That’s pretty much how it went. He’d get mad over something I did, yell and holler and carry on. Sometimes he’d throw things. Then apologize with flowers later. He really scared me when he was like that. I tried not to do anything to make him mad. I never dared have any more help come in. My husband just didn’t like having other people around the place. I didn’t go out much. I was busy minding the kids, keeping up the castle and all. Occasionally my godfather stopped by to cheered me up. Otherwise I didn’t have many visitors.

I figured if I tried hard enough I could make this marriage work. I had to make it work. I didn’t know what else I could do. So I made the best of it. I made sure the kids were tucked into bed before my husband got home, I dressed up every night and always had a nice hot dinner waiting for him.

Then one day that bratty boy showed up begging for a meal. Claimed his name was Jack, but I’ll never really know. I tried to warn him off and get rid of him. He just kept on begging. He was such a scrawny thing, obviously hungry. I finally gave him a meal. I was hoping he’d eat quick and go, but that boy was such a talker. He just kept yakking and yakking. Next thing I know my husband’s at the door. I hid the boy real quick under the big pot. Told him to keep still.

My husband accused me of having a man in the house. He grumbled a bit, but I didn’t let on. Why should he care about a half starved kid? I served up his supper nice and hot, the way he liked it, and gave him lots of beer. After dinner he pulled out his gold and started counting out my allowance for the household into a bag. I heard one of the kids out of bed. I went to check on the children. When I got back my husband was snoring and the bag of gold was gone. I checked under the pot. That bratty boy was gone too. I’d been robbed.

I never dared mention it to my husband. I managed drag him out of the kitchen and pour him into bed that night. He was so hung over the next morning he didn’t say anything about my allowance. I scrimped a bit and used some of my secret savings to pay the bills so he wouldn’t find out.

See, we had this goose that could lay golden eggs. My husband usually kept a close eye on that bird. He knew exactly when that goose would lay. But every once in a while I’d find an extra egg. Over the years I’d managed to collect a nice little stash of golden eggs he didn’t know a thing about. I had too if I wanted any security. Besides, he got all his regular eggs. I kept the peace in the family.

I’d nearly forgotten the whole thing, when that bratty kid, Jack, showed up again, scrawny as ever and begging for another meal. I ordered the little thief out of the house. He played real innocent. “I’m sorry I didn’t say a proper goodbye and thank you last time.” I told him it’s not about a lack of manners. I know all about the missing gold. Jack told me “I didn’t take it. I saw your husband put the bag in the pocket his coat that was hanging from the chair before he fell asleep.”

The kid was real convincing. I hadn’t checked his coat pockets that night. And it wouldn’t be the first time my husband didn’t give me my allowance. Jack just begged so pretty and looked so forlorned. I finally gave in a fixed him a meal. I told him to hurry and eat. Not that kid. He’s still here when my husband got home. I hid Jack under the big pot again.

My husband accused me of having a man in the house. He grumbled a bit, but I didn’t let on. Why should I let a half starved kid get me in trouble? I served up his supper nice and hot, the way he liked it, and gave him lots of beer. After dinner he had me get the goose. He knew that bird’s schedule. “Lay!” The goose dropped a golden egg right on the table. My husband admired the egg though a drunken haze. I didn't mind him being more interested in golden eggs. It's no fun with a sloppy drunk. I slipped away to check on the children. When I got back my husband was snoring and the goose was gone. I checked under the pot. That bratty boy was gone too. I’d been robbed again.

I just left my husband sleeping at the kitchen table. I was scared. There was no hiding it this time. I went to bed, but couldn’t sleep. I lay there worrying. What was he going to do when he found out the goose was gone? How mad would he get? Would he find out I’d let that boy in? Maybe I should take the kids and leave? No, it was too late. Now he’d think I had the goose too. Besides where could I go? I had my secret stash of golden eggs, but that wouldn’t go far. I’d never be able to get a job. I dreaded the dawn.

Dawn came anyway and brought the worst rage ever. I’d never seen him that mad. He threw furniture, ripped the curtains off the windows, broke nearly every dish in the kitchen. “My goose! Where’s my goose?!” I told the kids to stay in their rooms. I tried to keep him away from them. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t do anything to calm him down. He threw me aside. Grabbed Junior, shook him and screamed, “What’d you do with my goose?!” My poor son was so scared he blurted out “It must have been that boy that wanted some food.”

My husband dropped Junior and turned back to me, “What boy?!!” I’ll never forget the look in his eyes. I thought he was going to kill me. He didn’t, but it took weeks for everything to heal.

It was real tense around the castle after that. I tried hard to do whatever he wanted. I wanted to make him happy. Dinner was hot on the table when he got home every night. The children stayed out of his way. I dressed nice and tried to look my best when he got home every day. I was going to make this marriage work and keep my family together. Just when I thought things were starting to getting better, he came home with that fancy singer on the golden harp.

It hurt. It really hurt to see him look at her the way he used to look at me. She wasn’t really any prettier than I was. I used to look that good. But with having kids and gravity, I couldn’t be that perfect any more. No real woman could. He sat there for hours, listened to her sing, leered at her, touched her the way he used to touch me. I hated that harp, but I never dared say anything.

I never knew for sure who did it, but I bet it was that brat, Jack. He’s the only one I can think of that would know his way around the castle. Wondering scares me a bit, so I don't like remembering. It was just a day like any other. I was scurrying around getting the house cleaned, the kids in bed and dinner on the table. My husband came home. He accused me of having a man in the house, grumbled a bit, started checking around the kitchen. I guess I should have listened, but I hadn’t done anything, or seen anybody. I even showed him the big pot where I’d hidden the boy before. Finally he gave up, sat down and ate his dinner. I was in the middle of doing the dishes when he told me to get the golden harp. I brought her in, put her on the table and went upstairs. The rest of the dishes could wait until morning. I couldn’t stand it. I curled up in bed and held the pillows over my ears so I wouldn’t have to listen to her sing.

I was still alone in the bed when I woke the next morning. I went downstairs to the kitchen. My husband’s chair lay sideways on the floor, the back door hung wide open, both the harp and my husband were gone. I was still mystified when my son came down for breakfast and told me, “I was lying in bed listening to the music, I heard the harp scream for help, and Dad yell ‘Stop Thief” and a bunch of running. Then it got quiet. I was too scared get out of bed.” I sent Junior to fetch the sheriff.

They used the dogs to track him to a hole in the cloud. No one could figure out quite how he fell through it. It wasn’t that big a hole. It seemed like he’d have to climb through it, but there wasn’t anything to climb on. He was dead just the same. There was no way to recover his body, so we just planted a headstone in the hole. He didn’t have any life insurance, but I filed a claim on the castle-owners insurance for the theft of the harp. It was good for something after all. When that money’s gone, I’m not sure what I’ll do.

I’ve still got the castle. My godfather wants me to turn it into a Bed and Breakfast. He already has a name picked out, “Castle in the Sky, the perfect vacation getaway.” My godfather is such a funny little man. He’s been so wonderful to help me get back on my feet. He even gave me a cow so I’d always have fresh milk for the children and the guests. “I traded some beans for her on the way to the market. Her name is Milky White. She’s a real fine cow.”

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