Translated by Zhang Bao of Apple Tree 2018.1.5

Once upon a time, there was a very large apple tree with lush leaves and sweet fruits. Every day, a little boy comes to play under the tree. He loved the apple tree, where he could cool off, take a nap, and eat the fruit from the tree. He liked the tree, and the tree liked him. Over time, the little boy and the tree developed a deep relationship, and neither of them left the other. However, as time went by, the little boy grew up, and he no longer liked to play under the tree, because he had a wider world, and many boys and girls as friends. So, the boy hadn't been under the apple tree for a long time.

One day, the boy returned to the tree, and he looked sad. The boy shook his head and said, "No, I'm not a child anymore, I can't play under the tree anymore." "Then what are you doing here?" said the boy, "I want toys, but I don't have the money to buy them." The tree said, "I'm sorry, I don't have any money for you, but you can take my fruit and sell it for money." That way you'll have money to buy toys. ”

The boy was delighted, so he climbed up the tree and began to pick the fruit, and he picked all the fruit, and then left happily. After that, the boy never returned.

The tree was waiting and looking forward to it, but the boy never came, and the tree was very sad. One day, when the boy finally returned, the tree was very happy and said to the boy, "You can come and play with me now?" and the boy replied, "I have been busy working all day for the family, and I have time to play, but I need a house to shelter from the wind and rain." Can you help me?" said the tree, "I'm sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can cut off my branches and build you a house. When the boy heard this, he immediately became happy, and he found a machete and cut off the branches of the great tree, and then pulled them away with his cart. Seeing the boy happy, the tree was also happy, but the boy never came back since.

Without waiting for the boy to return, the tree felt lonely and sad. One hot summer day he saw the boy coming back again, and the tree was very happy, and said to the boy, "You have come back at last, and we can play together?" but the boy said, "You don't see how sad and old I am, I want to sail and sail the world, can you give me a boat?" and the tree said, "Then you can build your boat out of my trunk." So the boy cut down the trunk of the tree and made a boat. After that, he went on a voyage and was not heard from for a long, long time.

The boy came back after many years of absence. Taishu said to the boy, "I'm sorry, my child, I don't have anything left for you." There is no more fruit for you to eat...... "The boy said, "I have no teeth, and I can't eat apples anymore." "There is no trunk for you to climb on." The boy said, "I'm too old to crawl." "I really can't give you anything but my dying roots." "I don't need anything right now, I just want to find a place to rest." All these years have passed, and I feel tired. Big Tree said, "Good." Old tree roots are the best place to lean and rest. Come, sit down and rest with me" Taishu was very happy and smiled with tears in his eyes.

It's a story that everyone goes through. This tree is our parent. When we were younger, we loved being with our mom and dad, but when we grew up, we would leave them. They only come to us when we need something or when we are in trouble. Either way, parents always stay there and do everything they can to make you happy. You might think the boy was cruel to that tree, but that's how we all treat our parents.

Love your parents, no matter where they are.