THE MAN , THE TREES AND THE AXE Man: my friends, the trees, I have come into the forest today to ask you to help me. Old Tree: what do you want , o Man? Man: yesterday when I was working in the fields I broke the handle of my axe. Old Tree: yes? How can we help you? Man: I want you to give me another piece of wood so that I can make a new handle for my axe. Old Tree: go away now, O Man, and come again tomorrow. I must ask my friends, the Trees, if they will give you the wood. Man: thank you, Tree; I will come back in the morning for an answer. The meeting of the trees Old Tree: friends, a man came here today and asked us to help him. Green Tree: asked us to help him, did you say? Old Tree: yes, he wanted us to give him a piece of wood. Brown Tree: what did he want with a piece of wood, I should like to know? Old Tree: he said that he had broken the handle of his axe. Green Tree: and did he want to make a new handle out of the piece of wood which he asked for? Old Tree: yes, that is what he wanted it for. Brown Tree: well, I don’t think we should give him our wood if he is going to make a handle out of it. Green Tree: oh, we have so much wood. Of course we must give him a little piece. It is only a small piece he is asking for. Old Tree: I know that, but I have seen so many of my friends die because they were cut down by men with axes. Green Tree: Oh, Old Tree, you are always telling us stories like that. It is time we stopped asking you what to do; you are too old to know what is going on in the world. Old Tree: oh, very well! Do what you wish to do, but in the future don’t ask me about anything if you know so much more of the world than I do. Trees: don’t be angry, Old Tree. You know Green Tree always like that. Old Tree: well, what shall we tell the man when he comes for his answer tomorrow morning? Green Tree: tell him to take as much wood as he needs for his axe-handle, that is what I say! Old Tree: and what do you say, Brown Tree? Brown Tree: I think if he wants such a small piece of wood, we should give it to him. Old Tree: very well. He shall have it. Only I do feel that we may be sorry some day that we gave it to him. The next day Man: well, Old Tree, did you speak to your friends about the piece of wood I wanted? Old Tree: yes, O Man. Man: and what did they say? Will they give it to me? Old Tree: yes, you may take as much wood as you need for an axe-handle. Man: thank you, Old Tree. I shall not be long. If you are willing, I think I shall take this piece lying here. It is just the thing for a handle. Now I can get to work. Old Tree: where do you work, O Man? Man: I don’t need to leave this forest. There is as much work here as I can do. Old Tree: here? What are you going to do? Man: I am going to cut all these trees down. Green Tree: Oh, you are not going to cut me down, are you, O Man? Man: of course I am. You are just the right kind of tree for my business. Green Tree: oh please, don’t cut me down. I am your friend. It was I who told Old Tree to give you the wood for your axe-handle. Man: I cannot help that. I am here to cut down trees, not to stand talking to them. (He begins to cut the tree down). Green Tree: oh, I am dying, dying! (The Green Tree falls). Old Tree: and now, what are you going to do? Man: I am going to cut down that tree on the other side of you. Brown Tree: you will not cut me down, will you? You don’t mean that you are going to kill me, too? Man: yes, I am. I am going to cut down nearly all the trees in this forest. Old Tree: and are you going to cut me down too? Man: I’m going to cut this one down first. (Cuts down Brown Tree). Brown Tree: oh, stop him, stop him; he is killing me! Good-bye, Old Tree. I wish we had done what you said; then we should still be happy and living. Good-bye! (Brown Tree falls). Old Tree: good-bye friends, good-bye! I have seen too many trees cut down to want to give any man wood to make a handle for his axe. Man: now, let me look at you, Old Tree. Old Tree: are you going to kill me too? Then, do it! I am not afraid to die. Man: no, Old Tree, I don’t think I will cut you down; you are too old. It’s the young trees that I want. Good day!
Posted on: Thu, 03 Oct 2013 18:43:18 +0000
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