The Wise Old Tree | Teen Ink

The Wise Old Tree

February 28, 2013
By OceanLily SILVER, Huntsville, Alabama
OceanLily SILVER, Huntsville, Alabama
6 articles 9 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't swing on a string, its much to frail, the best kind of swing it is a Tigger's tail."












~Roo


There the tree stands, silently leaving its imprint, expounding in knowledge, unknown to the human mind; There the tree mocks thee, matured from sapling to a grand old wise tree.
The young girl passes, paying no mind o the large tree desiring her company.

"La lala lalala laaaa" sings the young girl, innocence touching the core of the old wise tree.
The young girl goes on down the dirt road, innocence blinding her of the old man sitting on the side of the road, with a small sack and a bottle of stale ale.

"Hello sir", sing-songs the young girl;only getting a nod in return from the old man, and nothing more.
She continues on, eventually reaching her home, where she removes her shoes and site her merry self on the window seat o stare out at the fields, her mind wondering of past events and dreams yet to come. The young girl begins to question:

"Hmmmm, I wonder what that grumpy old man was doing sitting on the side of the road? Why did he not smile back when i said hello?" she thinks as deeply as her mind will let her, eventually remembering the old wise tree she saw, but did not notice.

"That tree! How odd that tree was!"states the young girl out loud to herself.

"That tree indeed! How funny... Did it question me? No not question, study me. Yes, indeed, that wise old tree studied me. How intriguing!" I shall stop at the wise old tree tomorrow." Declares the innocent sapling.


The very next morning, the young girl heads out. She carries a small bag with three silver coins, three slices of bread and cheese, and a jug of water. She skips down the dirt road, passing the old man, looking...

"Hello sir" sing-songs the young girl once more; this time getting a slight sparkle in the eyes of the old man with his nod.
What the young girl does not realize is that her greetings are touching this old man, who is alone in life, apart that of nature. He thinks to himself,

"This little one is of innocence and has a journey ahead, ready or not."
The young girl smiles deeply, satisfied, and skips on down the dirt road , seeing the tree ahead. She stops ten feet away.

"This tree is sad" thinks the sapling to herself.
She walks up slowly, listening, deeper and deeper with every small footprint left on the dry soil. The tree sways, its old branches creaking, as the wind whispers its secrets to the old wise tree. She stops in arms length and reaches out, hoping for something, anything, her mind wondering.

"The tree knows." she thinks to herself. "The tree knows of something I do not", her mind expanding, thinking deeply.

"The tree is old and wise and has grown from sapling to what lies before my innocent eyes."
The young girl reaches further and lies her palm upon the tree, feeling the energy pulsating through her palm.

"wow..." whispers the girl breathlessly.
The tree stands tall and proud, knowing the energy of the innocent young girl; knowing she is vast in knowledge she has yet to discover; knowing she is but a sapling, but will one day be an old wise woman much like itself. The young girl sits under the tree understanding the tree has seen ages to pass: long winter, summers, springs and falls; seen wars tear people apart, seen men pass by and by.

"This tree is wise, strong, and full of knowledge" she thinks aloud.
A few leaves fall beside her, bringing the girls attention to the soil.

"Dry, very dry" says she.

"You need water, for this long summer has been cruel to you, and I feel selfish having a jug full of water for myself."
The young girl realizes then and there,other people around her may lack in what the need, lack in love.
"ahha!" says she aloud, as the girl removes the water jug and pours it by the roots of the wise old tree;

"The grumpy old man, He did not smile the first nor second time I said hello, but the second time, I swear upon the stars I saw a glimmer in his eyes". Can I have an effect upon this wise old man?"
The tree danced in the wind out of acknowledgement to the young girls question, causing the girl to look up and see this tree look sad no more, but proud and strong. Further down the road, the wise old man picks himself and his sack up and walks toward the tree, where he stops and watches the young girl staring at the dancing tree.

"Ah..." says he aloud; The young sapling has discovered my wise old tree. May she have a journey much like mine; a path to knowledge, maturity, and kindness."
The young girl notices him watching, smiles at him and out from her sack she pulls her three silver coins and her three slices of bread and cheese and lies them upon the sack. She stands and touches her palm to the wise old tree once more before walking towards home. As she passes the wise old man, words are passed.

"Hello sir" she say, smiling kindly.

"Hello young lady" says the old wise man, giving a smile and a slight bow along with his nod.
They continue on their ways, the man to the tree to sit down with an old wise tree and a large meal, and the young lady to her home, where she continues her journey form becoming a young lady to a woman, always expanding her knowledge.

To this day, the old wise tree stands firm, with a rock lying underneath engraved wise old man. Man upon man passes, fools at that, never knowing they are being mocked at the foolery they wont give up. Every now and then, one will catch a wise old woman with a jug of water, a silver coin, and a slice of bread and cheese, sitting under the wise old tree, understanding her journey and of those who pass.



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