THE GENEROUS TREE
Once there was a tree and a little boy. The tree
loved the boy very much. Everyday the boy
played under the tree. He picked up flowers
and made them into a garland. He climbed the
tree trunk and swung from its branches. He
played hide and seek with the squirrels and
talked to the birds. By afternoon he got very
tired. Then he slept under the shade of the tree.
Whenever he felt hungry he ate the fruits of the
tree. The boy loved the tree too.
But time flew by. And the boy grew up.
Then he stopped coming to the tree.
The tree felt very sad and lonely.
After many years one day the boy came to the
tree. The tree was overjoyed to see him.
He said, “Come boy, come play and have fun.
Climb on my trunk and swing from my
branches.”
The boy said, “I don’t have time for that
anymore. I want some money. I want to go to
the bazaar and buy something. Can you give
me some money?”
The tree replied, “I don’t have any money to
give you. But you can pluck my fruits and sell
them in the market. Then you will have the
money to buy what you want.” So the boy took
all the fruits. The tree was happy.
The boy disappeared. Years passed.
One day he came and said, “I need a house.
Soon I will be getting married and I need a
house for my wife and children.”
“You can chop my branches and make a log
house”, said the tree. And this is what the boy
did.
Now all that remained of the tree was its tall
trunk.
The most inspiring “green” tale ever.
An adaptation of Shel Silverstien’s classic The Giving Tree.
