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
things 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 the
city. Then you will have money and you will 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, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and
be happy." "I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a
house to keep me warm," he said. "I 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, but you may cut
off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy." And 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 take me far 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 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.
