The Selfish Giant – A Story of Kindness and Change

The Selfish Giant is a moral story by Oscar Wilde about a giant who learns the joy of kindness and sharing.

This story has two versions.

In its short version, the story focuses on a giant who learns to open his heart and transforms his cold, lonely garden into a place of warmth and joy by allowing children to play in it.

The detailed version of the story goes deeper into the giant’s journey, exploring his selfishness, his eventual change of heart, and the profound lessons he learns about love and giving.

Both versions highlight how true happiness comes from embracing others and sharing what we have.

Initially, the giant is selfish and forbids children from playing in his beautiful garden, which soon falls under an eternal winter.

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Only when he opens his heart and welcomes the children back does spring return to his garden.

The giant experiences the warmth of friendship and generosity, which changes him forever. Ultimately, a mysterious child leads the giant to paradise, symbolizing that true happiness lies in love and selflessness.

The Selfish Giant – Short Version – Let’s Read

Once there was a giant who owned a beautiful garden. It was full of vibrant flowers, tall trees, and soft grass, and the children in the nearby village loved to play there.

But the giant was selfish. He didn’t allow anyone else to enter his garden.

One day, after being away for a long time, the giant returned to find the children playing in his garden.

He became very angry and built a tall wall around it, putting up a sign that said, “No entry!”

Without the children, the garden turned cold and lifeless. Even though spring arrived in other places, the giant’s garden stayed in eternal winter.

No flowers bloomed, and no birds sang. The giant’s selfishness had turned his beautiful garden into a sad, frozen place.

One morning, the giant heard a sweet song. When he looked outside, he saw that spring had finally returned to his garden!

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Flowers bloomed, birds chirped, and the trees swayed in the warm breeze. He saw the children had found a way in through a small hole in the wall.

In the corner of the garden, a little boy was trying to climb a tree. The giant’s heart softened, and he realized how wrong he had been.

He helped the boy into the tree and told the children they could play in the garden whenever they wanted.

The giant tore down the wall, and from then on, the garden was filled with warmth and joy.

He played with the children every day, but the little boy he had helped never came back.

Years later, when the giant was old, he saw the boy again, standing under a tree in the garden. The boy had marks on his hands and feet. The giant asked, “Who hurt you?”

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True joy blossoms when we open our hearts to others, letting kindness turn winter into spring.

The boy smiled and said, “These are the wounds of love. You let me play in your garden, and now I’ll take you to my garden in Paradise.”

That afternoon, the children came back to find the giant lying peacefully under a tree, his garden blooming with flowers once more.

Moral of the Story

True happiness comes from kindness, love, and sharing with others. When we open our hearts to others, it brings joy and warmth into our lives.

The Selfish Giant – A Story of Kindness and Change – Detailed Version

Once upon a time, there was a giant who owned a beautiful garden.

It wasn’t just any garden—it was a magical place, full of vibrant flowers in every color you could imagine, tall trees that reached for the sky, and soft grass that was perfect for running and playing on.

The garden was so pretty that it looked like something out of a fairy tale.

Nearby, there was a little village, and the children from the village loved playing in the giant’s garden.

Every day, they would run through the soft grass, pick flowers, and climb the tall trees.

It was the best place for them to laugh and enjoy the sunshine.

The children felt so lucky to have such a lovely garden to play in, and they would spend hours there, running around and having fun.

But, the giant didn’t always feel the same way about his garden. He was very protective of it, and that’s where the trouble began.

But for now, all seemed peaceful, with the children happily playing and the garden bursting with life.

The Giant’s Selfishness

The giant, however, was not as kind-hearted as the children who played in his garden. He was a selfish giant.

He didn’t like sharing his beautiful garden with anyone. He believed it was his and his alone, and no one else should enjoy it.

He wasn’t interested in the laughter of the children or the joy they found in his garden.

One day, after being away for a long time, the giant finally came back to his garden. When he returned, he was surprised to see the children playing there again.

They were laughing, running around, and having the time of their lives. But instead of feeling happy that the children were enjoying his garden, the giant became very angry.

He didn’t like seeing them there, so he decided to do something about it.

The giant was so upset that he decided to build a tall, strong wall all around the garden to keep the children out.

It would be impossible for anyone to get in, no matter how hard they tried.

And just to make sure everyone knew that no one was allowed to enter, the giant put up a huge sign that read: “No entry!”

He wanted to make sure the children never played in his garden again.

The giant thought that by keeping the children out, he would have peace. But little did he know, his selfishness would have a much bigger effect on the garden than he ever imagined.

The Garden’s Transformation

After the giant built the tall wall and banned the children from entering, something strange started to happen.

Without the laughter of the children and their playful energy, the garden began to change. It no longer looked as bright and cheerful as it once had.

The flowers that had once bloomed in beautiful colors started to wilt.

The tall trees that had been full of green leaves seemed to stand still and sad, their branches bare.

The soft grass, which had been so fun to run on, began to turn cold and hard.

It felt as if the whole garden had been trapped in a never-ending winter. The birds, who used to sing sweet songs every morning, stopped coming.

No more birds chirped in the trees, and the air was still and silent. The garden, once full of life, now looked cold, lonely, and lifeless.

It was like the magic had disappeared, leaving behind a sad, frozen place.

Meanwhile, outside the garden, in the rest of the world, things were different. Everywhere else, spring was blooming.

Flowers were opening up, trees were growing new leaves, and birds were singing happily. The sun shone brightly, and everything seemed to be alive with joy.

But in the giant’s garden, it was as if spring had forgotten all about it.

The giant didn’t realize it yet, but his selfishness had caused the garden to lose all its beauty.

It wasn’t until later that he would understand just how much his actions had hurt the garden.

The Children Return

One morning, something unexpected happened. The giant woke up to a soft, sweet song drifting through his window.

It was the sound of birds singing, and it made him pause. He hadn’t heard birds singing in his garden for so long.

Curious, the giant looked outside, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat.

To his surprise, spring had finally arrived in his garden! The cold, lifeless winter was gone, and the garden was coming back to life.

The flowers that had been gone for so long were now blooming again, showing off their bright and beautiful colors.

The trees, which had been bare, were full of fresh, green leaves, and they swayed gently in the warm breeze. The grass, once cold and hard, was soft again, and it seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.

But the most wonderful sight of all was the children. The giant saw them playing in the garden once more.

They had found a way in through a small hole in the tall wall the giant had built.

The hole was just big enough for them to sneak through, and now they were running and laughing, just like before.

The garden was filled with joy again. The children were picking flowers, climbing trees, and playing games.

The birds were chirping happily in the trees, and the sun shone brightly, warming everything it touched.

The garden was alive with the sound of laughter, the sight of blooming flowers, and the feel of the warm sunshine.

For the first time in a long while, the giant felt a strange feeling in his heart. It was something he hadn’t felt before—happiness.

As he watched the children play, he realized how much he had missed this joyful, lively garden.

The warmth and beauty had returned, but there was still one thing missing—the giant had to make things right.

The Giant’s Change of Heart

As the giant watched the children playing in his garden, something caught his eye.

In the corner of the garden, he saw a little boy trying hard to climb one of the tall trees.

The boy struggled, his tiny hands gripping the tree’s trunk, but he couldn’t quite make it to the top.

The giant, who had once been so angry and selfish, felt a strange feeling in his heart.

For the first time, he didn’t just see the boy as someone in his way—he saw him as someone who needed help.

The giant’s heart softened. He remembered how the children had once brought so much joy to the garden, and he realized that he had been wrong.

He shouldn’t have kept them away. The garden wasn’t just his; it was a place for everyone to enjoy.

Without thinking twice, the giant hurried over to the little boy and gently lifted him up, helping him climb the tree.

The boy smiled with joy as he finally reached the top, and the giant felt a warmth in his chest he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Looking around at the children playing and laughing, the giant knew he had made a big mistake.

He couldn’t keep the garden to himself anymore. The children should be able to enjoy it just as much as he did.

So, the giant made a decision—he would open the garden to everyone, and from now on, no one would ever be turned away.

With a smile on his face, the giant grabbed a hammer and began tearing down the tall wall he had built.

One brick after another, the wall came down, and soon it was gone. The giant stood proudly, welcoming the children to play in the garden whenever they wanted.

The wall was no more, and the garden was once again a place of laughter, warmth, and joy.

The giant had learned an important lesson: true happiness comes from sharing and caring for others.

The Little Boy

As the days went by, the giant enjoyed seeing the children play in his garden every day. They ran through the flowers, climbed the trees, and filled the air with their laughter.

But there was one thing that puzzled him. The little boy he had helped climb the tree that day never came back.

The giant thought about the boy often. He wondered why he never returned to play with the other children.

Even though the garden was full of joy, there was still a little sadness in the giant’s heart because he missed that boy.

Years passed, and the giant grew older. His hair turned gray, and his steps became slower.

But even in his old age, the garden remained a place of happiness. The giant spent many days sitting under the trees, watching the children play. Yet, the little boy was still missing.

One day, as the giant was sitting in the garden, resting under his favorite tree, something amazing happened.

He looked up and saw the little boy standing near the tree, just as he had many years ago. The boy was now older, but the giant could see the same smile on his face.

The boy walked toward him, and as he got closer, the giant noticed something very strange.

The boy’s hands and feet had marks on them, like wounds. The giant was shocked and asked, “Who hurt you, little one?”

The boy smiled gently and said, “These are the wounds of love. You let me play in your garden, and now I’ll take you to my garden in Paradise.”

The giant didn’t understand right away, but he felt a deep sense of peace.

He had learned so much about love and kindness throughout the years, and now he realized that the little boy had come to show him something even more beautiful.

The Giant’s Revelation

The giant was both surprised and puzzled when the little boy appeared in the garden after so many years.

The boy had grown older, but there was something about him that seemed different, almost as if he carried a special light with him.

As the boy walked closer, the giant noticed something that made his heart ache.

The boy’s hands and feet had marks on them, marks that looked like wounds.

They weren’t ordinary scratches or bruises; they seemed deeper, as if they had been caused by something much more serious.

The giant’s heart filled with concern, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Who hurt you, little one?”

The boy, still smiling gently, looked up at the giant with a kind and peaceful expression.

Then, in a soft voice, he said something that the giant would never forget: “These are the wounds of love.”

The giant didn’t quite understand at first. How could wounds be the result of love?

But there was something in the boy’s words that made the giant feel a deep sense of comfort and peace.

The boy’s smile seemed to carry a kind of wisdom that the giant could feel, even though he didn’t fully grasp the meaning just yet.

Then, the boy said something even more surprising. “You let me play in your garden, and now I’ll take you to my garden in Paradise,” he promised.

The giant’s heart filled with warmth as he realized that this wasn’t just any ordinary boy.

This was someone special, someone who had come to share a beautiful gift with him.

The giant still didn’t understand everything, but he knew that at this moment, this boy was something extraordinary.

He had shown the giant that love could heal and transform, just as it had healed the garden.

The boy’s promise to take the giant to Paradise filled him with peace, and for the first time, the giant felt truly ready to follow him.

The Giant’s Peaceful End

One afternoon, the children came running into the garden, just like they always did. But today, something was different.

As they played and laughed, one of them looked around and saw something that made them stop in their tracks.

There, lying peacefully under one of the beautiful trees, was the giant. His eyes were closed, and he looked calm, as if he were simply resting.

The children ran over to him and saw that he had a peaceful smile on his face. It was clear that the giant was no longer with them, but instead, he seemed to be in a place of pure happiness.

The garden, too, was full of life. The flowers were blooming more beautifully than ever, their colors bright and lively.

The trees, tall and full of leaves, seemed to stand taller, and the birds sang joyfully in the branches.

The warm sunshine bathed everything, creating an atmosphere of love and happiness.

It was as if the garden itself had been touched by the giant’s kindness, and now it was a place where joy and love flourished endlessly.

The children, while sad, felt a sense of peace knowing that the giant had finally found his place in the world.

He had learned the importance of love, kindness, and sharing, and in doing so, he had brought the garden back to life.

The giant’s heart was full of peace, and his garden, once cold and lifeless, had become a symbol of warmth and love.

And so, the giant’s story came to a peaceful end, surrounded by the beauty he had once forgotten.

The children would always remember him, not as a selfish giant, but as someone who had changed and shared his heart with the world.

Moral of the Story

The story of the selfish giant teaches us a beautiful and important lesson: true happiness comes from kindness, love, and sharing.

At first, the giant kept everything to himself, thinking that the more he kept, the happier he would be.

But in the end, he realized that happiness doesn’t come from keeping things all to ourselves—it comes from giving, caring for others, and sharing what we have.

The giant’s garden only came to life when he opened his heart and allowed the children to play there.

His selfishness turned the garden into a cold, lifeless place, but once he chose to be kind and share, everything bloomed and flourished again.

When we open our hearts to others, we create warmth and joy, not just for them, but for ourselves as well.

So, the next time we feel like keeping everything to ourselves, remember the giant’s story.

Happiness grows when we share it with others, and love is the key that turns winter into spring, both in the garden and in our hearts.

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