How Jack Got the Giant's Treasure

"Once upon a time there lived a peasant who had three sons." Brock begins as he arrives onstage. "The two elder ones--whose names are not important--often went with him to the fields and to the forest, and helped him in whatever work needed to be done, but the youngest--who was named Jack--stayed at home with his mom, helping her out around the house. His brothers despised him for doing this, and whenever they had a chance they laughed at him and called him all kinds of terrible names--which I won't repeat here."

Giggles go up at the wry comment. "One winter, both the father and mother succumbed to a horrible disease, and the sons divided the property among themselves." Brock continues. "As you might expect, the elder brothers took everything that was of any value for themselves, leaving nothing to Jack but an old cracked kneading-trough, which neither of them figured was worth having. Jack, however, thought the trough was a useless thing to inherit, but he couldn't do anything about it. He realized that it would be no use staying at home, so he bid his brothers farewell, and went off to seek his fortune."

The lights brighten a little to mimic daytime. "He walked for several days, until he came to a lake. Inspired, he covered the bottom of his trough with some watertight cloth, turning it into a little boat. After finding two sticks for paddles, he set sail." Brock continues, pantomiming rowing a boat for effect. When he had crossed the water, he saw a large palace, and once inside, he asked to speak with the king. The king asked him who he was and why he had come."

"I am the son of a poor peasant, and all I have in the world is an old kneading-trough. I have come here to seek work." he explains in a mimic of Ash for Jack.

"You have not inherited much, but fortune smiles on those that persevere despite humble beginnings." he smiles in a gentle older voice--his go-to "king" voice.

As himself, Brock continues "And so, he made Jack one of his servants, and he became well loved and well liked for his courage and honesty."

Once back at center stage, he continues "Now, the king had an only daughter named Abigail, who was renowned for her beauty, wisdom, and pure heart across the kingdom, and many came from far and wide to ask her hand in marriage. Princess Abigail, however, rejected them all, saying that she would only marry the one who brought her four wondrous treasures belonging to a giant who lived on the other side of the lake--a mythril sword, three shining Torchics, a gold lantern, and a harp made of glittering crystal. Many princes, adventurers, and good warriors had tried to win these treasures, but none of them had returned alive. The king was saddened at this, for he feared that his daughter would never get a husband, and he would not have an heir to succeed him."

Excited whispers fill the air as Brock makes sure a prop sword, three shiny Torchic dolls, a prop lantern, and his harp are accounted for. "Jack heard the rumors in the palace, and took it upon himself to try to win Princess Abigail's hand. So he went to the king one day, and told him what he meant to do. When the king heard Jack's plan, he was furious."

"Do you think that you, who are only a servant, can succeed where great warriors have failed?" he gasps as the king.

As himself, he continues "Jack, however, was not one to be deterred, and continued to beg. Finally the king calmed down and reluctantly gave him his permission. The next morning, Jack went down to the shore of the lake, rowed across in his trough, and once he had arrived at the giant's house he hid in some bushes, and made camp there."

The lights dim a little, mimicking a sunrise. "Very early in the morning, before it was light, the giant went to his barn, and began to thrash, making such a noise that the mountains echoed." Brock goes on. "When Jack heard this he collected some rocks and put them in his pouch. Then he climbed up on to the roof of the barn and made a little hole so that he could look inside. He noticed that the giant had the mythril sword, which had the ability to glow and shoot beams of light if it sensed danger to its owner. While the giant was busy thrashing at full speed, Jack threw a rock through the roof which hit the sword, and caused it to glow."

"Why do you glow?" he asks in a deeper version of himself for the giant. "There is no danger here."

Brock pauses to set the prop sword at his side before continuing as himself "He went on thrashing, but a few moments later the sword glowed again. The giant thought nothing of it and continued his work, and the sword glowed a third time, firing a beam of light through the scabbard and into the giant's leg. The giant got so angry that he threw the sword, scabbard and all, out the barn door."

Laughter fills the air at this. "Jack saw his chance." Brock intones, quieting the laughter. "He climbed down from the roof, put on the sword, ran to his boat, and rowed across the water. Once he reached the other side he hid his treasure, and was full of joy at the success of his mission."

He draws the sword and proceeds to show off some fighting moves against an imaginary opponent for a moment. "The next day he filled his pouch with Cornn Berries, put a bundle of string in his boat, and set off to the giant's house." he continues as he sheathes the prop sword. "He hid in the brush for a while, until he saw the giant's three shiny Torchics walking about on the shore, and spreading their fuzzy down feathers, which sparkled beautifully in the bright sunshine."

"Aw"s fill the air as the lights expand to include the three shiny Torchic dolls lying at stage left. "As he approached, he coaxed them, scattering Cornn Berries for them out of his pouch." Brock continues as he picks up the three dolls and sits them on a bench that is part of the set. "While they were eating Jack gradually led them to the water, until he got them into his little boat. Then he jumped in himself, secured the three tiny Pokemon with his string, and rowed as quickly as he could to the other side of the water."

Chuckles go up at Brock almost tripping over himself getting back to center stage. "The third day he put some lumps of salt into his pouch, and again rowed across the lake." he continues. "As night came he noticed how the smoke rose from the giant's house, and concluded that the giant's wife was busy making dinner. He crept up on to the roof, and, looking down through the chimney, saw a large cauldron boiling on the fire. Then he took the lumps of salt out of his pouch, and threw them one by one into the pot. Having done this, he crept down from the roof, and waited to see what would happen."

"Ooh"s go up as Brock goes on "Meanwhile, the giant's wife took the cauldron off the fire, ladled out the soup into a bowl, and put it on the table. The giant was hungry, and dug right in, but he had hardly tasted the soup when he found it too salty. The giant's wife tried to appease her husband with some excuse or another, and assured him that the soup was good; but the giant replied he would eat no more of it, and told her to taste it for herself. She took a bite, and you should have seen the look on her face!"

The crowd roars with laughter as they picture the giant's wife's yuck face. "She had never in her life tasted something that terrible." Brock grins. "The only thing to do was to make a new batch of soup. So she grabbed a bucket, took the gold lantern down from the wall, and went to the well to draw water. She put the lantern down on the ground nearby, and just as she was stooping down to get the water, Jack ran to her, and threw her head over heels into the well. He then grabbed the golden lantern, ran away as fast as he could to his boat, and rowed across the water to safety."

More laughter goes up at this. "The giant waited for a long time wondering what was taking his wife so long. Finally, he went to look for her, but couldn't find her at first. Then he heard a splashing in the well, and finding she was in the water, he, with a bit of effort even for a giant, carefully lifted her out." Brock continues as he lifts a pantomime being before him.

"Where is my gold lantern?" he asks as the giant.

"I don't know," he stammers in a mimic of Serena for the giant's wife. "Somebody came and threw me into the well."

"Three of my treasures are gone, and only my harp is left. But, whoever the thief may be, he will not get that; I will lock it under twelve locks." he vows as the giant.

As himself, he assures the crowd "Meanwhile, Jack sat on the other side of the water, rejoicing that things had worked in his favor. The most difficult task, however, had yet to be done, and for a long time he thought about how he could get the crystal harp. Finally, he decided to row over to the giant's house one last time and see if fortune would favor him still."

He intones "On the fourth day, he rowed over and hid in the brush. But this time, the giant was prepared--he grabbed Jack and locked him up in a box in hopes of killing and eating him."

Gasps go up at the turn of events. "Jack didn't mind that he was a prisoner, and made the best of his predicament." Brock assures the jittery crowd. "After some time the giant wanted to find out if he was fat enough to be killed. So he went to the box, drilled a hole in the wall, and told Jack to put his finger through it. Jack knew what he wanted; so instead of putting out his finger he put out a tree branch. The giant cut the twig, and red sap ran out. He figured Jack was very skinny since his flesh was so hard, so he delivered even more food for Jack to eat. Some time later, the giant ordered Jack to put his finger through the hole in the wall again. Jack put out a cabbage stalk instead, and the giant, after cutting it with his knife, concluded that Jack was fat enough to eat. The next morning the giant said to his wife..."

"Jack seems to be fat enough now--take him and bake him in the oven, while I go and ask our friends to come over for dinner tonight." he instructs as the giant.

He goes on as himself "The giant's wife promised to do as she was told. After preheating the oven, she took Jack out to bake him."

"Sit on the shovel," he instructs an imagined person as the giant's wife.

As himself, he continues "Jack did as he was told, but every time the giant's wife lifted the shovel Jack always fell off. Jack finally said that he did not know the correct way to sit on the shovel."

"Look at me," he explains as the giant's wife. "I will show you."

He continues as himself "So she sat down on the shovel, and Jack pushed her into the oven and slammed the door. Then he took the giant's wife's fur cloak, stuffed it with straw, and laid it on the bed. After finding the giant's keys, he opened the twelve locks, snatched the crystal harp, and ran down to his boat, which he had hidden among the reeds on the shore."

After retrieving his own harp and quickly putting on the fingerpicks, he goes on "The giant came home moments later. When he saw what had happened, he rushed out to find Jack and kill him for real. He came down to the edge of the water and found him sitting in his boat, playing the harp."

With that, he plays "The Beautifly" on his own harp for effect. "The music drifted over the water, and the silver strings glittered in the sunshine." Brock narrates as he plays. When the song ends, he adds "The giant jumped into the water after Jack; but as he didn't know how to swim, he sank like a rock." He plays a glissando for effect, to some laughter over the giant's demise.

He retrieves the Torchic dolls and the prop lantern, then continues "Jack rowed away across the lake, full of joy. When he came to shore, he combed his hair, put on fine clothes, fastened the mythril sword by his side, and, taking the crystal harp in one hand and the gold lantern in the other, he led the three shiny Torchics after him, and went to the king, who was sitting in the throne room surrounded by his courtiers. When the king saw Jack he was overjoyed. Jack went to Princess Abigail, saluted her, and laid the giant's treasures before her."

After setting his props down, Brock concludes "To say there was great joy in the palace is an understatement. The wedding was celebrated soon after with great splendor and rejoicing; and when Jack succeeded the old king, he ruled over the land both long and happily, and went on many other adventures with the giant's treasures."

He grins at the enthralled crowd. "But that is another story for another day!"

The crowd roars with applause as Brock takes a bow...