The Gobbler - Part 1: Apple tree

Once upon a time there was a cottage in the woods. And in the cottage there lived a man, as tall as a tree and as wide as a mountain. His cottage was so huge, it housed several acres of land.

Many animals lived in his backyard and there was nothing ever short of to eat. Every a winter's eve his neighbours never felt less envy. Out of spite, they called him 'The Gobbler', for he seemed to gobble down everything that came his way, neither sharing nor giving.

One day, while making rounds to patrol his grounds (for stingy he was, should children ever touched his apples, he would have them bound), he chanced upon an apple tree, sick with yellow leaves, and hacked it down. It's useless for eating, all of it, he grunted, shoving the browning lumps, poor things, down a pile. Something glimmered among them, it was small but bright. He dug it out. A silvery grub!

The grub, a mere midget with 8 legs, looked like a bug that one might squash on a mindless summer's day. Useless. He thought.

Just as he was about to crush it with his thumb, the grub opened its tiny, beady eyes, and talked in a tiny, yet clear, voice:

"Don't kill me just yet! I am delicious and tasty. If you grow me fat, you can have enough honey and meat to eat forever and forever - for eternity!"

How can you prove that? The man asked.

"Keep me for 3 days, and then you will see." The grub replied.

The man considered this in his large, wrinkled head. The grub, fearing for its life, added a line more:

"You won't have to work, you won't have to worry, and you'll get something savoury!"

To which the man hummed, and agreed happily, the grub had pulled his strings. Settling the grub on his thumb, he walked home merrily, big feet crushing young saplings.