The Giving Tree
Once, there was a
tree…
And she loved a
little boy.
And every day the boy
would come
And he would gather
her leaves
And make them into
crowns and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her
trunk
And swing from her
branches
And eat apples
And they would play
hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was
tired, he would sleep in her shade.
And the boy loved the
tree… very much…
And the tree was
happy.
But time went by,
And the boy grew
older.
And the tree was
often alone.
Then, one day, the boy
came to the tree and the tree said:
–”Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy!”
–”I am too big to
climb and play” said the boy. “I want to buy thing and have fun. I want some
money.
Can you give me some
money?”
–”I’m sorry”, said
the tree,”but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples,
Boy, and sell them in city. Then you will have money and you’ll be happy.”
And so the boy
climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.
And the tree was
happy…
But the boy stayed
away for a long time… and the tree was sad.
And then one day the
boy came back, and the tree shook with joy, and she said:
–”Come, Boy come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy.”
–”I am too busy to
climb trees,” said the boy. “I want a house to keep me warm”, he said. “I and
want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a
house?”
–”I have no house”, said
the tree. “The forest is my house”, said the tree. “But you may cut off my
branches and build a house. Then you will be happy”.
And so the boy cut
off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was
happy.
But the boy stayed
away for a long time…
And when he came
back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak.
–”Come, Boy” she
whispered, “Come and play”.
–”I am too old and
sad to play”, said the boy. “I want a boat that will take me away from here.
Can you give me a boat?”
–”Cut down my trunk
and make a boat”, said the tree. “Then you can sail away… and be happy”.
And so the boy cut
down her trunk
And made a boat and
sailed away.
And the tree was
happy…
But not really.
And after a long time
the boy came back again.
–”I am sorry, Boy”,
said the tree, “but I have nothing left to give you – My apples are gone”.
–”My teeth are too
weak for apples”, said the boy.
–”My branches are
gone”, said the tree. “You cannot swing on them”.
–”I am too old to
swing on branches”, said the boy.
–”My trunk is gone”,
said the tree. “You cannot climb”.
–”I am too tired to
climb”, said the boy.
–”I am sorry” sighed
the tree. “I wish that I could give you something… but I have nothing left. I
am just an old stump. I am sorry…”
–”I don’t need very
much now”, said the boy. “Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired”.
–”Well”, said the
tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, “well, an old stump is
good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down… sit down and rest”.
And the boy did.
And the tree was
happy…
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