In a forest, on the outskirts of the city, there was a tree, which stood tall and green. It had long, thick branches. Its uncountable bright green leaves blue graciously with the wind. Birds would come from faraway places to sit on its branches and chirp their songs. It was a beautiful and a happy tree. The trees shared a very special bond with a small boy from a nearby town. The boy would come every day to play with the tree after his school. He would eat the apples from the tree and play hide-and-go-seek with it. They talked for hours and hours. The boy used to share everything with the tree. His ideas, his
Plans for the future, his thoughts, and his everyday happenings at school. The tree used to listen to the boy intently and laugh with him. They understood each other's dreams and their bond grew stronger. he would gather the leaves to make a crown and pretend to be the king. He would climb his trunk and swing on his branches.
- The water is so clean and sparkly, tree! (boy)
- Yes, it is.(tree)
- You were lucky. You have the best view! The sparkling water, the Setting Sun, the breeze… no wonder you are so happy. I could live here forever! (boy)
- The water the stun and the breeze will always be here. I am happy when I share it with you. (tree)
- You’re the best, tree! I love you! (boy)
- And I love you back. (tree)
He would chat with the tree for hours. After playing and talking, tired, the boy used to sleep in the shade. As time passed by, the boy grew up and made new friends. He got busy and started spending less time with the tree. The tree cherished the little moments it had with the boy.
- Don’t you hate it when the Sun sets? or when you lose your leaves in
The winter? (Boy)
- I become sad, yes but I know the Sun will be back the next morning and the leaves will be back in the spring. I like to wait for them. (tree)
- You are right but the Setting Sun is also so beautiful. You’re lucky, tree! you have an
amazing view. I could live here forever.
- I don't know much about luck. But the Sun is always here. I enjoyed the most with you. You can live here forever. I know you like it. (tree)
- Ha-ha.. It’s not that easy. You don't have responsibilities. I have to work and be somebody. I have to build a future. I want to be happy(boy)
- Aren’t you happy now? (tree)
- I am. But I want more. (boy)
And slowly the boys stopped visiting the tree. The tree was mostly alone, waiting to see the boy. Then one day, the boy came to visit the tree the tree. Was happy to see him. Its heart pounded with every step the boy took towards it. Straightening up, the tree called out to the boy.
- Come, boy! come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat the
Apples and be happy! (Tree)
- I am too big to climb your trunk or swing on your branches. (boy)
- Ste the sunset, boy. You always like to look at it. (tree)
- I am busy now. I want to buy things. I want to see the world. (boy)
- Why do you look sad? (tree)
- I want some money, tree. Out in the world, you need money to be happy.
The tree didn't want to see the boy sad
- Take my apples, boy, and sell them in the market. Then you will have some money. I am sorry. I don't have any money to give you. I only have leaves and apples. (tree)
- Really tree? I can do that? (boy)
- Will that make you happy? (tree)
- Yes! Thank you, tree! You were the best!
So the boy climbed up the trunk, gathered all the apples from the tree and carried them away to sell them in the market. The tree was happy to help the boy but the boy stayed away for a long time…
And the tree was sad.
Years past...
Birds came, chirped their songs and left… and the tree waited, standing tall with its long branches, at the edge of the cliff waiting for the boy to come back. And then one day, the boy came back. The tree shook with joy!
- Come, boy! Come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy! (tree)
- I don't have time to climb trees. I'm too busy. I'm married now, tree. I have a wife and children. (boy)
- You really have grown-up. But why don’t you look happy now? This is what you wanted. (tree)
- I am worried, tree. I will be happy if I could build a house for my family. I want to keep the warm and safe. (boy)
- I have no house to give you. The forest is my house. But, here, I have branches. You can cut off my branches and make a house out of it… then you will be happy. (tree)
- Thank You, tree!. (boy)
The boy climbed up the trunk of the tree and cut off all his branches and carried them away. The tree was happy to help the boy. But the boys stayed away for a long time… and the tree was sad.
Years passed, but the boy didn't come to visit the tree. The tree could no longer talk to the birds, as they would now just circle and fly away. There were no branches left for the birds to sit and chirp their songs. While on the ground, the tree always asked the birds about the boy, but no one had seen him. The tree grew lonely. The tree stood there, at the edge of the cliff, tall, trying to look for the boy.
It watched the city change. The tree could see the faraway pastures being raised to build roads and buildings. He saw the trees we cut and uprooted and towers being built on Greenland's. More people came, cutting the forests around and making houses for themselves.
The forest was losing its greenery. The tree was sad to see this house being torn down, but what could it do? For it was merely a trunk. The tree was very lonely now. But it still waited… eagerly for the boy.
Then one day the boy came to visit the tree, he now was a grown-up man. The tree was so happy to see the boy that he could hardly speak. But the boy looked very sad. The boy sat down, leaning against the tree and started crying. It broke the trees heart to see him crying. the tree
Had no branches to Pat the boy. It had no apples to cheer him up. It could give him a support to lean on.
- What is the matter, boy! Why are you so sad? (tree)
- My wife left me and my children don't care for me anymore. I don't want to live in a place where nobody loves me! All I want now is to go far away from here. I don't want to live here anymore. (boy)
- You are always running behind happiness, boy. You must day and let happiness come to you. (tree)
- There is no happiness here. If I could only build a boat and sail away in the sparkling waters lie on the boat and soak in the warmth of the Sun. (boy)
- Will you be happy, then? (tree)
- Yes. I will be a peace and happy! (boy)
- Here cut my trunk and build a boat then you can sail away. (tree)
- Really, tree? Thank you! You were the best! (boy)
The boy got his tools and cut the trunk of the tree. he builds a boat out of it.
He looks happy and relieved. The tree was happy to help the boy. It watched him build the boat. Then it watched him sail away. There was the Sun, the breeze, the sparkling water and the boys sailing off
in it. The tree didn't feel lucky now. It was sad to see the boy as he drifted away just like the son he had once talked about. The tree was now only a stump at the edge of a cliff.
Years passed and the tree grew lonelier. He could no longer see the faraway buildings or Hills. He could no longer stand tall and see his house or the people. For he was merely a stump of wood on the ground. He missed the birds, he missed looking at faraway pastures, and he missed the comfort of his house. But more than anything missed the boy. The boy finally came back to the tree. The city was not the same anymore. There were now man-made buildings in place of Mother Nature. The forest had been cut down and the green pastures were gone. The boy was an old man now. He was finding it hard to breathe. He loud and walked with a stick. He was wondering if he will ever find the tree.
-the city is eating up the forest! I hope I find my old friend! (Boy)
And so he did! it was right where he had left it the stump… waiting.
- You came! I waited really long for you! (tree)
- Yes tree it's so nice to see you. I sailed to another city. Lived there for a few years. (Boy)
- You are breathing heavily. (tree)
- Yes the pollution is making it difficult to breathe. (Boy)
- I am so sorry, boy. I have nothing to offer you my apples are gone... (tree)
- My teeth are too weak to eat apples. (Boy)
- My branches they're gone… you cannot swing on them… (tree)
- I am too old to swing on branches. (Boy)
- My trunk is gone… you cannot climb my… (tree)
- Oh I'm too tired to climb, my back hurts now. (Boy)
(The trees sighed) Ahhh... I am sorry I wish I could give you something. But I have nothing left. I am just an old stump (tree).
- The forest is disappearing. The concrete cannot give clean air to breathe, trees can! The buildings cannot provide for comfort. How greedy a man can be? Cities instead pollute fresh air. Don’t people understand the importance of nature? (Boy)
The tree didn't respond. It had nothing to say.
- I am old now and stay tired all the time. All I want is some fresh air to breathe and a quiet place to sit. (Boy)
.the tree straightened as much as he could
- Well, that’s it? An old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy. Sit down. Sit down and rest. (tree)
The boy sat on the tree and took a deep breath he watched the Sun setting in the sparkly waters. He felt the soft breeze.
- You are lucky, tree. You have the best view, this done the breeze and the sparkly waters. (Boy)
They then talked about life and how the world was changing around them… the boy narrated his story to the tree… and the tree was happy. The moral of the story the relationship of nature with man is an everlasting one. We need to respect and preserve Mother Earth. Remember, trees needs man as man needs trees…