CREATE PROCEDURE `string_procedure`()
      BEGIN
      DECLARE name_val VARCHAR(255);
      DECLARE status_update_val VARCHAR(255);

       -- Declare variables used just for cursor and loop control
  DECLARE no_more_rows BOOLEAN;
  DECLARE loop_cntr INT DEFAULT 0;
  DECLARE num_rows INT DEFAULT 0;
  DECLARE friends_cur cursor for SELECT CAST(friend_id AS CHAR(10000) CHARACTER SET utf8) as name_val  FROM `friend` WHERE `friend_id` = '2';


  DECLARE CONTINUE HANDLER FOR NOT FOUND SET no_more_rows = TRUE;
  OPEN friends_cur;
  the_loop: LOOP

    FETCH  friends_cur INTO   name_val;

    IF no_more_rows THEN
        CLOSE friends_cur;
        LEAVE the_loop;
    END IF;

    select name_val;


  END LOOP the_loop;
  END