After breakfast, Zoltan announced, "I have decided to return to my castle.  You will wear the boots and carry me.  That way the journey will not be so long."

Selena inclined her head.  "Whatever you say, Zoltan."

"You may wear my clothes also," said Zoltan.  "They are magical and will adjust to the size of your body when you are wearing the boots.  I shall take something of your late grandfather's to wear."

"Yes, Zoltan.  I shall bring you his best garments.  They are not worthy of a man such as yourself, but they will present a respectable appearance to the world.  And you are Lord Zoltan, no matter what you wear."

"Indeed," said Zoltan.

When Zoltan had finished dressing and Selena stood in Zoltan's leggings, breeches and jacket, Zoltan looked at her.  He started to hand her the boots, but he hesitated and drew them back.  "I cannot trust you," he said.  "Once you are a giant, I will be completely in your power."

Selena's heart was pounding as she looked at the boots in his hand.  Her future and Zoltan's depended on the next few seconds.  "My Lord, you have no more faithful and loyal servant than I," she said.  "My only wish is to serve you and defend your authority.  I have no head for rule.  How could I, a mere woman, order the affairs of an empire?  I could never take your place, but I can act as your guardian and protector.  I can be the instrument of your will."

Zoltan shook his head, and clung tightly to the boots.  "I killed your grandfather.  You must hate me and once you are a giant you will crush me like an insect.  I dare not trust you."

"I have no desire for revenge upon you," said Selena, inclining her head as she looked up into his worried eyes.  "In truth, my grandfather was not a good man.  I could tell you stories of his wickedness that you would not believe, but I will not.  I do not wish to bring further shame upon the family name.  I give you my solemn word, that if you place your trust in me, I will use their power only for your benefit and for the well-being of your subjects, according to your commands."

Zoltan heaved a great sigh, handed her the boots and said, "Do not put them on until we are outside."

"Yes, Zoltan."  She followed Zoltan out of the cabin, carrying the boots, and locked the door behind her.

Zoltan pointed out into the meadow.  "Walk about fifty paces, then put on the boots.  I don't want you to be too close to me when you start growing."

"Yes, Zoltan."  Selena counted off fifty paces then turned to look back at Zoltan.

"Go ahead," he said.  "Put on the boots."

Selena sat down and pulled on the right boot, and then left boot.  She remained seated on the grass and looked at Zoltan.  She had not started growing.

"Stand up," shouted Zoltan.

Selena pushed herself to her feet, as as she rose, her head seemed to shoot up into the sky like it had been fired from a cannon aimed at the zenith.  Within seconds, she was standing in the bright sunlight, staring down at the shrunken world that held her house, her meadow, the cords of wood, and the tiny foot path that lead down into the valley where grandfather used to sell his wood.  She looked around, feeling a little dizzy.  "Zoltan!" she called out.

"I am down here!" she heard him faintly calling, and looked down at the ground.  There was the tiny figure of Zoltan standing by the cabin door and waving at her.

Selena bent at the waist and looked down at him.  "My Lord Zoltan!" she said.  "You look so funny!"  She could not help giggling at the sight of the tiny figure capering at her feet.  "I had wondered how you found it so easy to stamp a man to death, but now I see you as you saw my grandfather.  You are like a little insect.  Tiny and helpless.  One feels a bit drunk with power.  To stamp or not to stamp?  That is the question, is it not?  One wants to add, why not?"

"Selena, stop fooling around," shouted Zoltan.  "You should not toy with powers that you do not understand.  Listen to me and learn.  We have far to go this day, so we must begin our journey.  Lay your hand on the ground, palm upward."

Selena did so and Zoltan hopped into her hand.  He seated himself on her palm, then said with an upward gesture of his arms, "Up! Up!"  Selena straightened up and held him cupped in her palm some 30 feet above the ground.

"Now what?" she said.

Zoltan pointed to the west.  "Go that way.  Keep going until I tell you to stop."

Selena started walking, but after a few steps, she halted and said, "This is ridiculous.  I can't make time carrying you in my hand like this.  What if I trip?  I might drop you or something."  She examined her jacket.  "I think it would be better if I just slipped you into the pocket of my jacket here."  She curled her fingers around him and moved her hand toward her breast.

"No!  Stop! Stop!" cried Zoltan.  "I order you to stop!  I will not be carried in your pocket like a pet frog!"

"Don't worry, it will be fine," said Selena.  She unbuttoned her jacket and slipped his feet into the inside pocket.  "In you go!"

"You are going to be sorry you did this!" blustered Zoltan.  "You'll have to take off those boots some time!"

"I'll worry about when the time comes," said Selena.  "You do want to get home today, don't you?  Well this is the best way to do it.  I know the way.  Everybody knows where Lord Zoltan's castle lies."  She dropped him into the pocket and refastened the buttons.  She could feel his little body, pushing and struggling against her left breast, trying to climb out of her pocket.  Now and then, she stuck her finger inside her collar and poked his little head back down into the pocket.  After awhile, he stopped struggling and she began to worry, so she thumped the bulge in her jacket to see if he was still alive. This produced a few spasmodic angry movements, and then he was still again.

Selena walked toward the city where Zoltan's castle lay until the sun was high in the sky.  It was amazing to her how quickly the miles slipped beneath her giant boots, so fast that it seemed but a few steps from one village to the next.  Not surprisingly, when she walked through a village or a town, the people vanished from the streets, for though it was customary among Zoltan's subjects to behold a giant striding across the land, none was eager to meet face to face with their dread lord or to draw his attention to them.  At the first glimpse of Selena's colossal figure coming over the hill, the villagers would flee to their houses, lock the doors and hide beneath the beds.  Those who were brave enough to peer through the cracks in their window shutters were astonished to see that the giant striding through their streets was not Zoltan, but a young woman dressed in Zoltan's clothes.  From time to time, Selena would catch a glimpse of a face in a window or a head poking surreptitiously around the corner of a house.  Always she smiled, and sometimes, she would blow them a kiss.

Finally, Selena decided that it was time to feed her master so she stopped at a farmhouse and sat down to remove her boots.  She first took Zoltan from her jacket pocket and set him on the ground.  "There is a farmhouse just over the hill," she said to him.  "I shall take off my boots and we can walk together to the house ask the farmer's wife to feed us."  Zoltan  immediately began to complain and bluster.

"How dare you disobey me!  Just wait until you are normal size again!  I shall teach you to humiliate me like this!" shouted Zoltan, shaking both fists up at her.

Selena took off one boot and then the other, but she held the left boot in her hand so she did not shrink.  "I only did what was necessary," she said.  "Look how far we have come.  And was it so unpleasant to spend the morning pressed against my breast?"

Zoltan was looking at the other boot, waiting for her to put it down so she would shrink.  When she continued to hold it, he said impatiently, "What are you waiting for?  You are going to have to return to normal size sometime."

Selena placed the boot on the ground next to Zoltan, but she did not let go of it.  It occurred to her that Zoltan was so tiny that he could fit right into the toe of her boot  "You are right, Zoltan," she said.  "I can't be a giantess all the time, can I?"

Zoltan said nothing and she wondered what he was thinking so she asked him.  "What are you thinking, Zoltan?  Are you thinking how to punish me for disobeying your orders?  Are you thinking that you will never let me put on the boots again because I cannot be trusted?  How do you plan to punish me for this so-called humiliation?"

Then Zoltan suddenly began to realize that he might have overplayed his hand.  He laughed heartily and said, "Why of course not, Selena?  What do you take me for?  I was merely joking.  At first, I must confess that I was somewhat upset that I must ride blindly inside your jacket pocket.  I am not use to relinquishing control to another.  In fact, however, I was good to feel your huge breast pressing against my body.  I must confess that I fell asleep from time to time.  I might have slept the morning away if you had stopped poking me for a little while."  He laughed and made a huge grin.

Selena said, "Perhaps I should wait until you are in a better mood.  Although I have done nothing wrong, I am afraid of what you might do if I were in your power again."

Zoltan found it impossible to keep the words from spilling out.  "You are only making things worse for yourself," he shouted, but as he spoke he realized that it was he who was doing that everytime he spoke.   "Now put down that boot!  That is a direct order!"

"I hear and obey," said Selena.  "But first…"  She leaned over and scooped Zoltan up in her hand.  She put him down the shaft of the right boot and let him go. .  She looked down into the boot and said, "Please tell me, Master,  what would happen to you if the boot started shrinking with you inside?"

"Don't do it!" screamed Zoltan.  "For god sake don't do it!"

"As you wish," said Selena.  She tilted the boot up and spilled Zoltan out onto the ground.  She then pulled the boots back on and stood looking down at him.

Selena said, "You must learn to trust me, Zoltan, because as long as you do not trust me, I cannot trust you."   She bent over and reached for him but he turned and fled from her.   She took a step and grabbed him up in her hand.  "Don't run from me, Zoltan.  You cannot outrun a giant!"

"Put me down immediately," cried Zoltan.  "And remove those boots at once!"

"I need to go to the farmhouse and ask for food," said Selena.  "For that, I must take off the boots.  Then I must put them on again so we can resume our journey.  If I remove them, Zoltan, will you promise me that you not try to prevent me from putting them on again?"

"Of course," said Zoltan, appearing  surprised at her question.  "Just because I spoke in anger does not mean there is any hatred between us.   Put me down and remove the boots.  You shall see that I will behave myself."

Selena laughed.  "I bet you would," she said.  "No, I think not, Zoltan.  Before I take off these boots, I must put you somewhere you can cause me no trouble.  Since you have lost your power, it is up to me to protect you from your own excesses."

Selena slipped Zoltan into her jacket pocket and started walking.   She walked several miles, then took Zoltan out of her pocket and held him up so they could speak.  "I am going to leave you here for a little while, Zoltan," she said.  "If you want to see me or the boots again, I suggest you stay right here on this spot. "  She turned and started walking back toward the farm house with giant distance devouring strides.  Zoltan ran after for a little ways cursing, but he was soon left hopelessly far behind.

The farmer's wife was congenial when Selena approached, but she after the initial friendly greeting, the farmer's wife said, "You shouldn't be walking around in lads clothes, my dear.  What will people think?"

"These are the only clothes I have," Selena explained.  "I am travelling to the city to find my relatives."

"Where are you from, Lassie?" asked the farmwife.

"I lived with my grandfather across the mountain to the east," Selena explained.  "My grandfather was killed by Zoltan so now I am going to live with relatives in the capital city."

"Why would Zoltan do such a thing?" said the farmwife.  "I just don't understand such things."

"He is a god," said Selena.  "We are but insects in his eyes and our lives mean nothing more to him than the life of a housefly means to you."

"Well, it is a shame, after all," said the farm wife.  "Come inside and have something to eat."

While Selena dined, the farm wife chattered on about Zoltan.  "It is a terrible when Zoltan does something like what he did to your grandfather.  I hear such stories all the time, but on whole, life is not so bad living under the rule of Lord Zoltan.  After all, there are no more wars or riots.  The countryside is peaceful and prosperous.  Zoltan takes very little in taxes compared to past rulers."

"That is because he has no army to feed," said Selena.  "Zoltan is his own army."  Selena looked around and asked, "Where is your husband?  Is he in the fields?"

"Jessup has gone to town to sell a hog," said the farmwife.  "He should be back shortly.  Would you like some more of this bacon?"

"Could you wrap it up for me to take along?" asked Selena.  "I would be very grateful."

"Of course.  Let me fix you a basket to take," said the farmwife.  "It is many days to the city and you may have difficulty find food along the way.  Do you have money?"

Selena reached into her pocket and brought out a few silver coins.  "This is money my grandfather earned by selling wood," Selena explained, offering it to the farm wife.

"Nay, keep it," the woman said.  "You will need your money if you keep travelling.  Perhaps you would like to remain here a few months.  You seem a sturdy peasant lass, despite your fancy boy's clothing and we can always use another pair of hands on a farm."  She turned from the pantry and placed a huge basket of food on the table in front of  Selena.
The words that sprang first to Selena's lips were, "It is too much!  I cannot carry all of that!" but she stopped them before they came out because she realized that when she wore the boots, the huge basket of food would be no burden at all.  After all, Zoltan weighed a lot more and she had not noticed his weight.

Suddenly the door flew open and the farmer Jessup came rushing into the kitchen saying excitedly, "Amazing news!  There is a giantess passing through the country!  I saw her in the village this morning and she was coming this way.  Did you see her come past the house?"  Then the farmer and his wife both turned to look at Selena.  "Who is this?" asked the farmer.

"I am called Selena."

The farmwife looked frightened.  "Did you see the giantess, husband?"

Jessup nodded, and croaked, "Yes."

"What did she look like?"

The farmer swallowed and said, "She had long blonde hair and she was dressed in boys clothes.  She was wearing tall black boots that came almost to her knees."

Silently, Selena swung her legs out from the table and wiggled her toes in the sight of the farmer and his wife.  "Thank you for your hospitality," said Selena, standing up.  "The good lord above watches over kind people like you.  Perhaps someday, I will be able to repay you."

The farmer stared at Selena with terror on his face as if he expected her to suddenly assume giant form and go shooting upward through his roof.   He noted the black boots sitting on the floor next to Selena's chair.  The farm wife pushed the basket of food toward Selena.  "It is nothing," she said with averted eyes.  "We ask only to be left in peace.  Please take the food and go.  Forget about us."

"You are too kind," said Selena.  She picked up the basket and walked across the road into the farmer's field.  She put on the boots and started walking back toward the spot where she had left Zoltan.