The Boy & the
Apple Tree
A long time ago,
there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and
play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the
apples, took a nap under the shadow…he loved the tree and the
tree loved to play with him. Time went by…the little boy had
grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.
One day, the boy
came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with
me” the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid, I do not
play around trees any more” the boy replied.
“I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I do not
have money… but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So,
you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all
the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came
back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy
who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited
“Come and play with me” the tree said. “I do not have time to
play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for
shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, but I do not have any house.
But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the
man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree
was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since
then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day,
the man returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play
with me!” the tree said. “I am getting old. I want to go
sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.
"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be
happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went
sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the man
returned after many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I do not have
anything for you anymore. No more apples for you …” the tree
said. "No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite" the man
replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on” “I am too old for
that now” the man said. "I really cannot give you anything...
the only thing left is my dying roots” the tree said with
tears. "I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am
tired after all these years” the man replied. "Good! Old tree
roots are the best place to lean on and rest, Come, come sit
down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad
and smiled with tears…
This is a story of
everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we
loved to play with our Mum and Dad...When we grow up, we leave
them…only come to them when we need something or when we are in
trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give
everything they could just to make you happy. You may think the
boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our
parents. We take them 4 granted we don't appreciate all they do
4 us, UNTIL it's 2 late. May Allah 4give us of our shortcomings
and may He Guide us, Insha'allah.
> And your Lord has decreed that you worship
none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one
of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to
them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them
in terms of honor.
> And lower unto them the wing of submission and
humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your
Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."