love is indefinable

Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy.

And every day the boy would come. He would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk, and swing from her branches, and eat apples. They would play hide-and-go-seek together. And when he was tired he would sleep in her shade.

And the boy loved the tree very much. And the tree was happy.

But time went by, and the boy grew older, and the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree, and the tree said, “Come, boy, come and climb up my trunk, and swing from my branches and eat apples, and sleep in my shade, and be happy.”

“I’m 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 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 her trunk, took her apples, and carried them away to sell them in the city.

And the tree was happy, but the boy stayed away for a long time, and the tree was sad.

Then one day the boy came to the tree, and the tree said, “Come, boy, come and climb up my trunk, and swing from my branches, and play in my shade and be happy.”

“I’m too busy to climb and play,” said the boy. “I want a house. I want a wife and children, so I need a house. Can you give me a house?”

“I have no house. The forest is my house, but you may take my branches, boy, and build a house. Then you will be happy.”

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 came back again the tree was so happy she shook with joy.

“Come, boy, come and climb up my trunk, and play in my shade and be happy.”

“I am too old, and too sad to play,” said the boy. “I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?”

“I have no boat,” the tree whispered. “Cut down my trunk and make a boat, then you can sail away and be happy.”

So the boy cut down her trunk, 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.”

“My branches are gone; you cannot swing from them.”

“I am too old to swing from branches.”

“My trunk is gone; you cannot climb.”

“I am too tired to climb.”

“I am sorry, boy,” said the tree. “I do wish that I could give you something, but there’s nothing left. I’m just an old stump.”

“I don’t need very much now,” said the boy, “just a quiet place to sit and rest.”

“Well,” said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, “an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy, sit down, sit down and rest.”

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy.


Happy Valentine's, lovelies.