Sunday, July 25, 2010

The boy and the apple-tree

Οnce upon a time there was an apple-tree…
And she used to love a boy, and every day the boy was gathering her leaves and he was using them to make a crown and play the King of the Forest.
He was climbing on her trunk, hanging on her branches, eating apples and playing. And when the boy was getting tired, he was falling asleep under her shade. And the boy was loving the apple-tree… very much. And the apple-tree was happy.
But the years passed, and the boy grew up. And many times the tree was left alone.
One day the boy went to the tree. She proposed him to climb on her trunk, play on branches, eat apples and sleep below her.
“Nah, I’m too old to play. I need money to have fun, can you gimme money?”
“I’m sorry, but I only have apples and leaves. Here, take my apples, sell them. Then you’ll have money and be happy.”
Then the boy climbed, picked the apples and left with them.
And the tree was happy.

But a long time passed, and the boy didn’t show up, and the tree was sad.
Until one day the boy returned, and the tree trembled, full of joy.
She proposed him to climb on her trunk, play on branches, eat apples and sleep below her.
“I have no time for games, I need a house to live in and make a family, can you give me a house?”

“I don’t have a house, boy. Forest is my house. Here, cut my branches, use them to build your house and be happy.”
And so the boy cut off her branches, and took them with him to build his home. And the tree was happy.

But the boy didn’t show up for a long time, and when he did, the tree was so happy, that she could barely talk. “Come boy, come and play.” She whispered.
“I’m too old and too sad to play. I need a boat to take me away. Can you give me a boat?”
“Cut off my trunk to make a boat, go away… and be happy.”
And the boy cut her trunk, made a boat and went away.
And the tree was happy… but not really.

And after a very long time the boy returned.
“I’m sorry, Boy, but I have nothing left to give you…” said the tree.
“I have no apples.”
“My teeth aren’t strong enough to eat apples.”
“I have no branches for you to hang-on.”
I’m too old to hang.”
“I don’t have trunk, you cannot climb.”
“I’m too tired to climb.”
“I’m sorry”… sighed the apple-tree. “I wish I could give you something. But I have nothing left. I’m just an old log. I’m sorry…”
“I want nothing anymore, just a quiet place to sit and rest.” Said the boy.
“Then an old log is what you need to sit and rest.” Said the tree, flattening her trunk as far as she could
And the boy sat and rested. And the tree was happy.

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