The Giving Tree
A tall, leafy tree stood on a hill, warmed by the sunshine.
This tree loved a little boy, and its heart would pound when it heard the patter of his footsteps approaching.
Hello Tree! How have you been? Ha ha
The boy would always run to the tree right after school and tell it everything that had happened to him that day.
Someone hid a frog in the teacher’s desk today.
It hoped out during our dictation quiz and said “wrebbit!” haha and I wrote “wrebbit” in my notebook! Hahaha!
Oh, that’s very funny. Your teacher must have been very shocked!
The boy liked to hang upside down among the branches and watch the sunset.
You know Tree, the sun is so sad when it sets, but it always comes back full of energy every morning.
That’s beautiful. I never saw it like that you should become a poet.
Oh, I don’t know that’s just what I see.
You are always sad too when your leaves fall every winter, but you greet them happily every spring.
That’s true. I like waiting.
However cold and lonely I am in the winter, I always know that the new sprouts will come in the spring.
The boy and the tree understood each other’s hearts and became best friends
The boy made crowns from the Tree’s leaves and napped among its roots.
The tree loved him with all its heart. It was happy because it knew it was loved in return.
Time drifted by, and soon the boy became a young man.
He grew more and more busy and could not come to visit the tree as often as before.
Then one day.
Oh where have you been all this time? I've been waiting for you to come.
Come and sit among my branches, we will watch the sunset together.
I can’t, I’m too big now
Your branches would break if I tried.
Oh I see.
I need some money, but I don’t know where to get it.
I can’t be happy without money, right?
I've heard people say that but I don’t know if it’s true.
You know nothing about life
Oh, you can pick my fruit and sell it. That would make some money.
Oh can I?
Would that make you happy?
Oh It would! Thank you, Tree!
The boy gathered the Tree’s ripe, delicious fruit and loaded it onto his bicycle.
Good-bye Tree! Thank you. I’ll see you soon!
Bye!
But he didn't come again for a long, long time and the tree began to grow lonely.
Then one day, he was back. He was all grown up now.
The tree rustled its leaves happily to greet him.
I’ve waited so long for you, and you’re back at last!
Come swing on my branches.
But the boy only shook his head.
No, I’m too busy for games now. I have to take care of my wife. We’re expecting a baby soon.
Wow, you really are all grown up.
I am, but I don’t even have a house, and I don’t know how to raise a family.
The tree laid a branch gently on the boy’s shoulder and gave him a pat.
Here you can have my branches. Build your house with them and be happy.
The boy took the trees branches and loaded them into his wagon.
The Tree watched him leave the forest to build his new house.
It no longer had any branches to rustle in the breeze, but it was happy.
Years went by, but the boy would not return.
Every year, the tree would ask the migrating birds if they had seen him.
Birds! What do you know of my friend?
But the birds only laughed.
I haven’t seen your friend.
Foolish tree, you've been waiting for him for years. Forget him.
Humans have even shorter memories than us birds. He’s forgotten you already! Come on.
But the tree could not forget, so it asked the breeze instead.
One day, a butterfly brought some news.
I was passing through the city a while back, and I heard of your friend.
Did you? Oh tell me, how is he? Is he happy?
Not exactly. He’s lost all his money. He’s homeless now.
But how? Why?
That’s all I heard. I’m sorry.
The Tree was worried and wished it could do something.
Then one night, the boy came to visit.
He was weak and tired and it broke the Tree’s heart to see him.
It wanted to console him.
It didn't have its branches anymore to pat him on the shoulder, but it supported him as he leaned on its trunk.
The butterfly has told me of your troubles. You must be very sad.
Very sad? How can I even describe how I feel?
I have nothing. I’m a failure!
The tree was sad that it no longer had its leafy branches to shield the boy from the rain.
All I want is to go away.
To sail off far away from this place to begin a new life somewhere else.
You are always trying to run away.
I know, but I think I would be happy if I could just have a boat, if I could lie in a boat in the sunshine, swaying on the ocean.
Then i will be happy.
If that’s what you really want, cut me down and make a boat.
So the boy cut down the tree and made a boat to sail away in.
All the tree had left was a stump, but it was happy when it imagined the boy’s smile as he sailed in the boat made of its trunk.
As the tree watched the sunset every evening, it remembered what the boy had said once when he was young.
You told me the sun sets sadly every evening, but returns with new energy in the morning.
Then why is it that I only grow lonelier every day?
Years passed since the boy sailed away.
He sailed across the ocean and around the world, and came home an old, gray-haired man.
He saw the newly paved roads, the tall buildings, the new cars, and missed his Tree.
My home has changed. Is the Tree still there in its place?
The boy dragged himself up the hill with a great effort and found the Tree, waiting in its place.
Tree! You are still here.
The tree saw that the boy had grown old.
I am sorry, I have nothing left to give you.
Everything is gone, my fruit.
I've lost all my teeth, I can’t chew fruit anyway.
I have no branches for you to swing on and watch the sunset.
Oh, I’m too old and stiff to climb.
I’m sorry. I really want to give you something, but I’m just an old stump.
That’s okay. I am old and tired. All I want is a quiet place to rest.
That’s all? My stump is the best place for that! Come here and sit on me.
But this was the only place I could be at peace. Thank you.
The Tree and the boy watched the sunset together as he told it about his life, and they were both very happy.