The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Once there was a tree And she loved a little boy And every day 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 Can you give me 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 can 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 swing on 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
