The Trading Tree
By Paul Rampell
by Rachel Beglin
Illustrated
The Trading Tree
By Paul Rampell
Illustrated by Rachel Beglin
Once there was a little boy and a tree...
And they grew to love each other.
Once each day, the boy would check on the tree.
It was smaller than other trees, bent over and pale.
The
boy asked, “What’s the matter with you?”
The
tree said, “I need a little bit of water.”
The boy said, “Why should I bring water to you?”
The tree replied, “Because then I will grow and give you many things in return.”
The boy asked, “What will you give me?”
The tree answered, “You’ll see.
So the boy brought some water.
“Thank you,” said the tree. “Well, what will you give me?” asked the boy.
“Patience,” was all the tree said.
Some growth was up, some growth was down, long roots below ground – only for the tree!
Time passed.
The boy was patient. The tree
and the boy both grew.
Can you read and write?
No, I went to Cornell
After a long, long time, the boy again asked the tree, “So, what will you give me?”
The tree said, “Thank you for waiting. If you check my branches, which wind up my trunk, you will see that they are steps for you to
c l i m b.
“When you reach my midsection, I have a cluster of branches that form a terrace, with a canopy of leaves overhead. This can be your lookout.”
The boy climbed, setting his foot on each branch until he reached the lookout.
“This is nice,” he said. “I could stay up here all day and play. I can see far in every direction! I can spot danger and tell everyone.”
The
tree said, “I’m glad you like it.”
Years went by.
The boy was away, and the tree missed the boy.
The boy missed the tree, too.
One day, the boy returned.
He said to the tree, “You’re tall. Maybe I could chop you down and sell you to a lumber yard for a lot of money.”
The
tree
said,
“That’s true. But I think I can give you more than money if you keep me around.”
“How can you do that?” the boy asked.
DRILL,BABY, DRILL!
What are you doing in this book?!
“Well,” the tree said, “First, have nuts, berries, sap, leaves and medicinal bark that you can use. Second, I have dead branches that you can take for frewood, and then I will grow new branches. Third, I will turn bad air into good air. I can help you if you have asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis.”
The boy said, “I don’t like the sounds of those.”
“Neither do I,” the tree answered. Toogoodtobetrue?
Yeah, probably GMO.
“Are you saying that you’re like the goose that laid golden eggs?” asked the boy.
“Sorta,” said the tree.
The boy said “OK.”
The tree thought to herself, “That was a close one.”
The young man visited the tree again.
“Nice to see you,” said the tree. “You’re all grown up.”
The young man said, “Nice to see you, too. You’re even taller than before.”
The tree asked, “What’s on your mind these days?”
The young man sighed. “I am having girl trouble.”
The tree said, “Why don’t both of you come here and carve your initials on my bald spot?”
The young man did, and he won the girl’s heart.
A decade went by. “Hello again. This is my daughter,” said the man.
“Hi, you two,” the tree replied. “Nice to see you. Nice to meet you.”
The man asked, “Will you trade with her the way you traded with me?”
“Sure,” said the tree. “I won’t need water from her, but she can warn me if any bulldozers are in the neighborhood.”
The little girl said, “I won’t let them near you.”
“We’re going to be trading partners, too,” said the tree.
The little girl kept her promise.
Scores of years elapsed.
The man was old, in his second childhood.
“Hello,” he said to the tree, in a crackly voice.
“Nice to see you,” replied the tree.
The man said, “I’m tired and sick.”
The tree said, “If you give me a hug, it will ground you and calm you.”
The old man hugged the tree and felt better.
The old man asked, “What’s the future for us?”
The tree said, “We grew together. We aged together. We lived during the same years and years and years. We will always have our good vibes. I hope to see your daughter throughout her life.”
The tree thought for a minute.
“Maybe your great-grandaughter, too, if I am lucky,” fnished the tree.
The old man said, “It’s a deal.”
