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