Great Stories
The Apple Tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree top, ate the apples and took naps under the shadows. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time quickly went by...

The little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.
"Come play with me." the tree asked the boy.
“I am no longer a kid. I don't play around trees anymore." The boy replied.
"I want toys. I need money to buy them."
"Sorry, but I don't have money. But you can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money."
The boy became very excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples.

The tree was sad. One day the boy returned and the tree became excited.
"Come and play with me." the tree said.
“I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”
"Sorry but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house."
Hence, the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back ever since then.

The tree was lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned again and the tree was delighted.
"Come and play with me!" the tree said.
"I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat? "
"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy."
Therefore, the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a very long time.

The boy finally returned after he left for many years.
"Sorry, my boy, but I don't have anything for you anymore. I have no more apples for you..." the tree said.
"I don't have teeth to bite." the boy replied.
"I have no more tree trunk for you to climb on."
“I am too old for that now." the boy said.
"I really can't give you anything. The only thing left are my dying roots." the tree said with tears.
"I don't need much now. I just need a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean and rest on."
"Come, come sit down with me and rest."
The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

This is a story for everyone. The tree is our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad. When we grew up, we left them. Only to go back to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, our parents will always be there for us and will give everything they can to make us happy. You may think that the boy is cruel to the tree but that is how all of us treat our parents.

Love your parents, no matter where they are.