The Giving Tree

By Shel Silverstein

Once there was a tree.... and she loved a little boy. And everyday the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk

and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek.

And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree....

very much.

And the tree was happy. But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, \"Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my

branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy.\"

\"I am too big to climb and play\" said the boy.

\"I want to buy things and have fun.

I want some money?\"

\"I'm sorry,\" said the tree, \"but I have no money.

I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in

the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy.\" And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples

and carried them away. And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time....

and the tree was sad.

And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy

and she said, \"Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy.\" \"I am too busy to climb trees,\" said the boy. \"I want a house to keep me warm,\" he said.

\"I want a wife and I want children,

and so I need a house.

Can you give me a house ?\" \" I have no house,\" said the tree.

\"The forest is my house, but you may cut off

my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy.\" And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away

to build his house. And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time.

And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak. \"Come, Boy,\" she whispered,

\"come and play.\"

\"I am too old and sad to play,\"

said the boy.

\"I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?\" \"Cut down my trunk

and make a boat,\" said the tree. \"Then you can sail away...

and be happy.\"

And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.

And the tree was happy ... but not really. And after a long time the boy came back again. \"I am sorry, Boy,\"

said the tree,\" but I have nothing

left to give you - My apples are gone.\" \"My teeth are too weak for apples,\" said the boy. \"My branches are gone,\" said the tree. \" You cannot swing on them - \"

\"I am too old to swingon branches,\" said the boy.

\"My trunk is gone, \" said the tree.

\"You cannot climb - \"

\"I am too tired to climb\" said the boy.

\"I am sorry,\" sighed the tree.

\"I wish that I could give you something....

but I have nothing left.

I am just an old stump.

I am sorry....\"

\"I don't need very much now,\" said the boy. \"just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired.\"

\"Well,\" said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,

\"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting

Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.\"

And the boy did. And the tree was happy.

【爱心树】

从前有一棵树，她好爱一个小男孩。 每天男孩都会跑来，收集她的叶子， 把叶子编成皇冠，伴起森林里的国王。

男孩会爬上树干，抓着树枝荡起秋千，吃吃苹果。

他们会一起玩抓迷藏，玩累了，男孩就在他的树荫下睡着。

男孩好爱这棵树…..好爱喔！树好快乐！

日子一天天的过去…

男孩长大了，树常常好孤单…..

有一天男孩来到树下，

树说：「来啊，孩子，来，爬上我的树干，抓着我的树枝荡秋千，吃吃苹果，

在我的树荫下玩耍，快快乐乐的。」

「我不是小孩子了，我不要爬树和玩耍，」男孩说 「我要买东西来玩，我要钱。妳可以给我一些钱吗？」 「真抱歉，」树说，「我没有钱。我只有树叶和苹果。孩子， 拿我的苹果到城里去卖。这样，你就会有钱，你就会快乐了。」 于是男孩爬到树上，摘下她的苹果，把苹果通通带走了。

树好快乐。

男孩好久没有再来……树好伤心。

有一天

男孩回来了，树高兴地发抖，

她说：「来啊，孩子，爬上我的树干，抓着我的树枝荡秋千，快快乐乐的。」

「我太忙了，没时间爬树。」男孩说 「我想要一间房子保暖，」他说。

「我想要妻子和小孩，所以我需要房子，你能给我一间房子吗？」

「我没有房子，」树说

「森林就是我的房子，不过你可以砍下我的树枝去盖房子，这样你会快乐了。」

于是男孩砍下了她的树枝，把树枝带走去盖房子。

树好快乐…

可是男孩好久都没有再来，

所以当男孩再回来时，树好快乐….快乐得几乎说不出话来

「来啊，孩子，」她轻轻地说

「过来，来玩啊！」

「我又老又伤心，玩不动了，」男孩说

「我想要一条船，可以带我离开这里，妳可以给我一艘船吗？」 「砍下我的树干去造船吧！这样你就可以远航….你就会快乐」树说，

于是男孩砍下她的树干，造了条船，坐船走了。

树好快乐…..但不是真的

过了好久好久 那男孩又再回来了。 「我很抱歉，孩子，」

树说，「我已经没有东西可以给你了…..」

「我的苹果没了。」

「我的牙齿也咬不动苹果了，」男孩说

「我的树枝没了，你不能在上面荡秋千…..」树说 「我太老了，没有办法在树枝上荡秋千，」男孩说

「我的树干没了，你不能爬…..」树说 「我太累了，爬不动的。」男孩说

「我真希望我能给你什么….可是我什么也没了。我只剩下一块老树干。我很

抱歉……」

「我现在要的不多，」男孩说。

「只要一个安静可以休息的地方。我好累好累。」

「好啊！」树一边说， 一边努力挺直身子，

「正好啊，老树根是最适合做下来休息的。 来啊__，孩子，坐下来，坐下来休息。」

男孩坐了下来，树好快乐………