THE GIVING TREE- Read the story

How do you feel when you help someone?

How do you feel when you share your things with others?

Read this play to know how a tree feels when it helps a boy.

Narrator: Once there was a tree and it loved a little boy. Every day the boy would visit the tree and enjoy its company.

Tree: Come here, my boy. Come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches.

Boy: (swinging from branches) Ah, what fun!

Tree: Are you hungry? Eat my apples

Boy: (eating apples) How delicious!

Narrator: When the boy was tired, he slept under the tree. The tree was happy to give its shade. But time went by. And the boy grew older and went away. The tree was often alone. After some years... One day the boy came to the tree and the tree was very happy.

Tree: Come, my boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches.

Boy: I am too big to climb and play. I want to buy things and have fun. I want some more money. Can you give me some money?

Tree: I'm sorry but I have no money, I have only leaves and apples. You can pluck my apples and sell them in the market. Then you will have money.

Narrator: The boy happily plucked the apples and carried them away. The tree was also happy. But the boy stayed away for a long time and the tree was sad. One day, the boy came back and the tree shook with Joy.

Tree: Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk. Swing from my branches, eat my apples, play in my shade and be happy

Boy: I am too busy to climb trees. I am getting married and I need a house for my wife and children. Can you give me a house?

Tree: I have no house but you may cut off my branches and build a house.

Narrator: So the boy cut off the tree's branches and carried them away to build a house. The tree was very happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time and the tree was sad again.

And when he came back after some years, the tree was so happy that it could hardly speak. Now, the boy was a young man.

Tree: Come, Boy, come. What can I do for you?

Young man: I am going on a business trip. I want a boat to take me away. Can you give me a boat?

Tree: All I have left is a trunk. Cut down my trunk and make a boat. Then you can sail away.

Narrator: The young man cut the trunk of the tree and sailed away in a boat. The tree was left only with a stump. And after a long time the young man came back

again. Now he was an old man but the tree recognized him.

Tree: I am sorry, friend, but I have nothing left to give you. My apples are gone.

Old man: My teeth are too weak for apples.

Tree: My branches are gone. You cannot swing on them.

Old man: I am too old to swing on branches.

Tree: My trunk is gone. You cannot climb.

Old man: I am too tired to climb.

Tree: (sighing) I am sorry. I wish that I could give you something... but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry...

Old man: Dear tree, you have always given. But now I don't need much—just a quiet place to sit and rest.

Tree: (happily) Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting on. Come, friend, sit down and rest.

Narrator: The old man did. And the tree was still happy.

                                                                                      By Shel Silverstein