This is a story about friendship and the unconditional love of nature.
In a forest, on the outskirts of the city. There was a tree that stood tall and green. Its uncountable bright green leaves blew graciously with the wind. Birds would come from faraway places to sit on its branches and chirp their songs. It was a beautiful and happy tree.
The tree shared a very special bond with the small boy from a nearby town. The boy would come every day to play with the tree after his school. He would eat the apple 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 idea, his plan for the future, his thoughts, and his everyday happening 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 her trunk and swing on her branches. The boy said, “the water is so clean and sparkly.” The tree replied, “Yes, it is.” The boy said “You are lucky. You have the best view. The sparkling water, the setting sun, and the breeze no wonder you are so happy. I could live here forever!”
The tree replied to the boy that “The water, the sun, and the breeze will always be here. I am happy when I shared it with you.” 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 had with the boy.
Don’t you hate it when the sun sets? Or when you lose your leaves in the winter? I become sad, Yes but I know the Sun will be back the next morning and the leaves will be back in spring. I like to wait for them.
And slowly the boy 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.
Tree said, “Come boy and climb my trunk and eat the apples and be happy.” Now I have grown up. I have more responsibility. I don’t have time to play with you. Tree asked the boy “Why do you look sad?
The boy replied “I want some money. Out in the world, you need money to be happy. The tree didn’t want to see the boy sad. Tree said to the boy “I don’t have any money to give you. Take my apples and sell them in the market. Then you will have some money.
Boy was very happy to hear this. 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 passed, 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 and said “Come Boy! Come and play with me.”
Boy replied to the tree “I don’t have time to play with you. I am too busy. I am married now. I have a wife and children.” Tree said, “But why don’t you look happy now?” The boy said “I am worried, tree. I will be happy if I could build a house for my family.
I want to keep them warm and safe.” Hearing this tree was very sad and said to the boy “You cut off my branches and make a house out of it then you will be happy”. The boy thanks for this. Then the boy climbed up the trunk of the tree and cut off all her branches and carried them away. The tree was happy to help the boy.
But the boy 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 because it has no branches left for the birds to sit and chirp their songs. They would now just circle and fly away
After a few years again the boy comes to the tree and says that I need some money to fulfill the needs of my family After some years the boy again comes near the tree and says that I need some money to meet the needs of my family. If I could make a boat, I would have got a lot of money by selling it, which would fulfill the needs of my family. Tree said “Boy! Cut my trunk and build a boat. Then you can sell it.”
The boy got his tools and cut the trunk of the tree. He builds a boat out of it. He looked happy and relieved. The tree was happy to help the boy. The boy took his tools and cut down the trunk of the tree. He makes a boat out of it. He was feeling happy and relieved. The tree was happy to help the boy. The boy made a boat out of a tree trunk and sold it and fulfilled all the needs of his family.
The tree was now only a stump at the edge of the cliff. Years passed and the tree grew lonelier. He missed the birds and the comfort of his house but more than anything he missed the boy.
A few years later, the boy finally came back to the tree. The boy was an old man now. He was finding it hard to breathe. He slouched and walked with a stick. He was wondering if he will ever find the tree. And he found her! It was right where he had left. The tree was very happy to see the boy. The tree said, “I waited really long for you!” The boy said, “Yes, It is so nice to see you.”
Tree said sadly “Why you are breathing heavily.”
The boy replied, “the pollution is making it difficult to breathe. The forest is disappearing. The concrete cannot give clean air to breathe, but trees can. The building cannot provide comfort. How greedy a man can be? Cities instead pollute fresh air.
Don’t people understand the importance of nature?” after hearing this Tree didn’t respond. The tree had nothing to say. Tree said “Well! That’s it. An old stump is good for sitting and resting. So come boy. Sit down and rest. The boy sat on the tree and took a deep breath.
Then they talked about life and how the world was changing around them. The boy narrated his story to the tree and the tree was happy.
