Never quite "got" the kid's book, The Giving Tree.
Once there was a Oak Tree that lived next to an Apple Tree. Or, to be more accurate, the stump of an Apple Tree.
"So, let me get this straight, there was this boy that you loved. And you gave him fruit and let him climb on your branches, and carve his name into your bark, and you never asked for anything in return," the Oak Tree rustled at the stump.
"Yes," the stump replied, though very faintly because she no longer had any branches or leaves to rustle.
"And, despite everything you gave him, the boy wanted more. So he cut off your branches to build a house, and then he cut the rest of you down to turn your trunk into a boat?"
"Yes."
"And now he's an old man and he comes around periodically to sit on you. And this makes you feel, um, happy?"
"Yes, I love him so much that I would do anything for him," said the stump. "Shush, here he comes."
An old man approached the stump. "Hello stump," he said, then he sat down.
The stump was so happy she would have rustled her leaves, if she still had branches to rustle.
The oak swayed slightly as he considered the scene.
The old man looked up at the Oak Tree, and stroked his whiskered chin. "You know, my daughter could really use a new dining room table," he said.
And the Oak Tree dropped a branch on the old man's head and smashed him flat.
THE END
copyright 2012 John Lance
Once there was a Oak Tree that lived next to an Apple Tree. Or, to be more accurate, the stump of an Apple Tree.
"So, let me get this straight, there was this boy that you loved. And you gave him fruit and let him climb on your branches, and carve his name into your bark, and you never asked for anything in return," the Oak Tree rustled at the stump.
"Yes," the stump replied, though very faintly because she no longer had any branches or leaves to rustle.
"And, despite everything you gave him, the boy wanted more. So he cut off your branches to build a house, and then he cut the rest of you down to turn your trunk into a boat?"
"Yes."
"And now he's an old man and he comes around periodically to sit on you. And this makes you feel, um, happy?"
"Yes, I love him so much that I would do anything for him," said the stump. "Shush, here he comes."
An old man approached the stump. "Hello stump," he said, then he sat down.
The stump was so happy she would have rustled her leaves, if she still had branches to rustle.
The oak swayed slightly as he considered the scene.
The old man looked up at the Oak Tree, and stroked his whiskered chin. "You know, my daughter could really use a new dining room table," he said.
And the Oak Tree dropped a branch on the old man's head and smashed him flat.
THE END
copyright 2012 John Lance
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