Long ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to play around it every day. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and napped in its shade. The boy loved the tree, and the tree loved to play with him.
As time passed, the boy grew up and stopped visiting the tree.
One day, he returned. "Come and play with me," said the tree.
"I'm no longer a child. I don't play around trees," the boy replied. "I want toys. I need money to buy them."
"I have no money," said the tree, "but you can pick all my apples and sell them."
The boy was excited. He picked all the apples and left happily. He did not return, and the tree was sad.
One day, the boy came back. "Come and play with me," the tree said joyfully.
"I have no time to play. I must work for my family. We need a house. Can you help?" asked the boy.
"I have no house," said the tree, "but you can chop off my branches to build one."
So the boy cut all the branches and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but felt lonely again when he did not return.
One hot summer day, the boy returned. "Come and play with me," the tree said, delighted.
"I am sad and growing old. I wish to go sailing to relax. Can you give me a boat?" asked the boy.
"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy," offered the tree.
The boy cut down the trunk, made a boat, and sailed away. He was gone for a long time.
Finally, after many years, the boy returned, now an old man.
"Sorry, my boy," the tree said. "I have nothing left to give you. No more apples..."
"I have no teeth to bite," the old man replied.
"No more trunk for you to climb on."
"I am too old for that now," he said.
"I truly wish to give you something," the tree said with tears. "All I have left are my dying roots."
"I don't need much now," the old man replied. "Just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years."
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come, sit down with me," said the tree.
The old man sat down. The tree was glad and smiled through its tears.