Under the shade of the leafy blackberry tree, Uncle Augustine adjusted his straight-brimmed hat and lit his cigar, letting a cloud of smoke float in the air. His yellow mustache trembled as he smiled. The children, sitting on the grass, looked at him with eyes full of curiosity.

«Today I will tell you something that happened in a very, very far away place,» he began. «In a red city lived the red giants, proud and passionate. Princess Casilda was the jewel of her town, always dressed in crimson, with a crown that shone like fire. Nearby, in a completely green city, lived the green giants, peaceful and hard-working, always busy cultivating their fields and adorning their homes with emeralds from the neighboring mountains.»

Uncle Augustine paused, letting the smoke from his cigar draw circles in the air, and continued.

«One day, the red palace woke up to a terrible commotion. Casilda had disappeared. The red giants did not hesitate to blame the green giants. ‘They have kidnapped her!’ they shouted furiously. And the green giants, confused and offended, denied it again and again. But tensions grew, and it seemed that both towns were going to fight.»

The children held their breath while Uncle Augustine continued with his story. «But it turns out that the princess was neither in the red city nor in the green one. She had been invited by the purple dwarves, tiny but very cheerful characters, who lived in a hidden valley. The dwarves wanted to share with Casilda their famous annual party, full of delicious food and charming music. Casilda, fascinated by the dwarves’ hospitality and in love with their purple food, decided to stay longer than planned.»

The children laughed as they imagined the princess at a party surrounded by dancing dwarves. My Uncle Augustine, with a mischievous smile hidden behind his mustache, continued: «Meanwhile, the red and green giants, already tired of the arguments, decided to search for Casilda together. When they finally arrived at the valley of the dwarves, what they found left them speechless. The princess was happy, with her fingers stained with blackberry juice and dancing to the rhythm of the purple drums. ‘Why should I go back?’ she asked. ‘The food here is delicious, and everyone is so cheerful!'»

Uncle Augustine let out a laugh and said: «At first, the giants were offended. But then, the dwarves offered them a taste of their feast. It was impossible to resist. Soon, everyone was dancing and eating together. Red giants, green giants, and the little purple dwarves forgot their differences and, from that day on, celebrated the Feast of the Three Cities every year, where they shared laughter, stories, and, of course, the famous purple food.»

Putting out his cigarette on the ground, Uncle Augustine concluded: «And so, my little ones, you learned that differences should not separate us, but unite us. Because, in the end, life tastes better when shared.»

The children applauded, asking for another story. But Uncle Augustine only smiled, putting on his hat. «That will be tomorrow,» he said, letting the twilight dye the sky purple, like the magic of the dwarves.