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THE GENEROUS TREE
THE GENEROUS TREE
There was once a tree which loved a little boy. The little boy went to the tree every day, collected its leaves, made a crown out of them, and pretended that he was the king of the forest.
He climbed the trunk of the tree, ate the apples of the tree, swung on the branches, and played hide and seek. When the boy was tired, he fell asleep in the shade of the tree. The little boy loved the tree, he loved it very, very much and the tree was happy.
Time passed, the little boy grew up and the tree was left alone more and more often. The boy came to the tree once, and the tree said to him,
“Come on, boy! Come, climb on my trunk, swing on my branch, eat my apples, play under my foliage and you will be happy.”
“I'm already too big to climb and play on a tree”. Said the boy, "I want to buy all sorts of things. I want money. Can you give me money?”
"I'm so sorry," the tree said, "but I don't have money. I only have leaves and apples. Take my apples and sell them in town. This is how you can make money and be happy.”
So the boy climbed the tree, picked some apples and took them with him to the city. The tree was happy.
But the boy left and did not return for a long time and the tree became sad.
One day the boy returned and the tree trembled with joy. He started calling the boy:
"Come, climb my trunk, swing on my branch, and be happy."
"I'm too busy to climb a tree. I want a house so I can have a wife and a child. Can you give me a house?” – asked the boy.
"I don’t have a house," said the tree, "the forest is my home. But break down my branches and you can build a house out of them. Then you will be happy.”
And the boy cut off the branches of the tree, and went to build his house out of them. The tree was happy.
But the boy left and did not return for a long time. When he returned, the tree was so happy he could hardly speak.
“Come on, boy!” - he whispered - "Come play!"
“I'm too old and sad to play. I want a boat so I can get away from here. Can you give me a boat?” – asked the boy.
"Cut out my trunk and make a boat for yourself." Said the tree. "So you will get far and be happy."
The boy cut down the trunk of the tree and built himself a boat that took him far. And the tree was happy, but not so happy.
After a long time, the boy returned again.
"I'm sorry, boy," the tree said, "I have nothing left to give you. My apples are all gone.”
"My teeth are already weak for the apple," the boy replied.
"I don't have any branches," the tree said.
"It's okay, I can't swing on them anyway," the boy replied.
"I'm so sorry," the tree said, “I wish I could give you something, but I have nothing left. I'm just a cut-out, old tree stump. I'm sorry.”
"I don't need much," the boy replied, "just a nice place to rest. I'm very tired.”
"If that's all it takes," the tree said, straightening itself out as far as it could, "a cut-out stump can be used to sit down and rest on it. Come on, boy, sit down and relax.”
And the boy sat down. And the tree was happy.
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