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

 

 

Shel Silverstein