Once there was a tree that could curtsy. It was an old, large Maple and had many descendants, none of whom had learned the art of curtsying in their youth. The young trees were content to bend flirtitiously and chatter to birds and butterflies who flew around them regularly. They even envied the apple trees around, because in the spring the apple trees had fragrant white blossoms which developed into delicious red apples by the time autumn came around. Sometimes the old Maple felt lonely in his majesty. It knew that when autumn came, its leaves would become red, then yellow. That was its time of glory, because people from all over the neighborhood would come just to admire it and exclaim over its colorful leaves. At times, they would even sit at its foot and talk of things, big and small. Nobody ever brought anything insignificant or trivial to the old Maple. The people spoke of life and its problems, of sorrow and happiness. They spoke of friendship and of hate. They spoke of justice. Often, they spoke of love.
The Maple enjoyed conversation about love the most. Words about love were always serious and there was no frivolity about the subject. Sometimes the people were sad, other times happy. The old Maple would nod sagely at some comments and rustle its branches in dissent at others. There came a day when a young girl ran to the tree. She threw her arms around its mighty trunk and wept silently against the bark. The old Maple shuddered but the girl paid it no mind. The Maple stroked her with a low branch - and still, the girl did not notice. Her tears were wet on the tree's bark, her lovely eyes were red - rimmed. What could cause such unhappiness and despair? The sun was shining brightly, the blue of the sky could not be surpassed.
Suddenly, the girl spoke. In hushed tones she murmured: "They have been unfair... I hate them all..." "Why do you hate? Who has been unfair?" rustled the mighty Maple, quite disturbed by now. The girl stopped crying and seemed to listen. "Who is there?", she asked in some alarm. Her touseled brown hair flew gently about her shoulders and the old Maple thought she looked like a child.
"There is no need for fear, my child", said the Maple gently."There is little of life that I do not know and understand. I am very old, you see. Tell me your problem and maybe I can help you solve it."
"Nobody can solve my problem", cried the girl. "It is far too complicated." "If I can prove to you that I am no ordinary tree, will you let me try to help you then?" asked the tree. "Well... yes..."The girl was hesitating because she was not sure whether she was speaking to the Maple or to the wind.
"If I curtsy for you" said the old Maple somewhat reluctantly because it did not like showing off, "will you unburden yourself to me then?" After a moment's thought, the girl looked up to the tree and whispered:"Yes".
The mighty old Maple gathered its many branches, and curtsied low. Its leaves were stroking and enveloping the girl who sat down in amazement. Somehow, she felt that the tree was embracing her. But there was nobody to hear her, and she needed to talk. "Well... tree," she said, "I went to a dance at school in my new white dress and my new white slippers. There was a lovely red rose at my waist. My parents told me I looked beautiful..."
"And..."encouraged the Maple. "There was a boy... I had loved him for years but this was the first time he noticed me." Sensing that there was more to the story, the tree was patient. "What is so bad about that?"it asked. "Nothing," said the girl. "It was going to be the most beautiful evening of my life. I just knew it. We danced and we danced and I thought I was in heaven."
"So far so good,"murmured the tree, wondering where all this was leading. The old Maple had seen young love before and had always been moved by its poignancy. "But then something happened", continued the girl. "At first I was unaware of the laughter around me. Only when it grew and became noisy did I look around. My friends were making jokes and laughing at me and my love seemed uncomfortable. Some were even pointing at me on the dance floor. At first I thought there was something wrong with my dress or my hair. But that was not it at all..."
The young girl stood up, brushing leaves off her skirt. She tossed back her glorious hair and her eyes were blazing now. Her cheeks were red and her words were a torrent. "My father... my wonderful father has done no wrong, tree,", she cried."He is the best father in the world. But he was a public figure and some people accused him of not doing his duty to the institution to which he belonged. And that is not true, because even after he became seriously ill, he continued his work on behalf of the helpless and the needy. He is getting old, I know, but he felt his work was terribly important. He has helped so many over the years... my mother has told me of some desperate people who had nowhere to turn... until they heard my father's name, and he helped them all." She stopped suddenly and looked down. "His health prevented him from fulfilling the demand that his colleagues made on, him and that is why he was cast out and abandoned." "Your father sounds like a saint," said the old Maple, feeling moist, even though there was no rain. "He does not think that,"said the girl. "He only says that he tried to do what needed to be done. But now his dreams are shattered and his heart is broken. I cannot bear to watch it, dear Maple." "That is a sad story you bring me , my child, "said the Maple seriously. "You are so young and pretty... you have not yet had time to learn the ways of the world. You will learn them in time - you MUST learn them in order to survive!""I never want to know such people!" cried the girl. "It is inevitable that you will meet some people with evil in their hearts, "sighed the tree. The old Maple would like to spare her pain, but it knew well that pai was part of living. It straightened its mighty trunk and spread its branches wide. "Hold on to your ideals, young lady, and you will survive the curves that lie ahead of you."
"But what of my father?"asked the girl anxiously. "He chose a thorny path," said the Maple thoughtfully." However, it was his own choice and every man must do what he thinks is right. Go to your father and tell him how dear he is to you. Tell him about the way you love him because you have probably not done that very often in the past. Most young people take their parents for granted.
Remember, your parents' hearts have always been open to you.'' "Will it be enough?" asked the girl sadly. "Maybe it's too late now.'' The Maple did not like to lecture but the girl had to understand. "It will help more than you know," it continued. "your father is not like a the weak reed who always bends any way the capricious wind wants it to bend. Nor is he like the silly willows who spend most of their time admiring their countenance in the water.
No, child, he is a man who saw what needed to be done and did it despite opposition." While the girl was listening, her eyes began to shine and a hint of a smile touched her lips.
"Dear Maple, I will do as you say. But can his heart be mended?" "It was never broken," said the tree. "A man knows in his heart whether he is doing the right thing. Trust me, and all will be well." The girl turned around, her pink skirt swirling in the breeze. "I think I can understand now, tree, " she said quietly. Her eyes were smiling ."I will run home and comfort my father right away! Oh thank you for being so wise and so good!" As she began walking home, she turned around and waved at the old Maple. The tree was curtsying to her.
"How wonderful is the world ," she thought."The sky is so blue and the birdsong so sweet." And, humming a tune, she began running home. Life seemed beautiful again. The mighty old Maple arranged it's branches and sighed wearily. Maybe it would have more visitors today... or tomorrow. Soon, however it was time for it's winter sleep. The tree rather looked forward to a long rest because the summer had been busy. In the spring, new leaves would grow and new people would bring their problems. That, too, was something to dream and think about.
And the winter came. The Maple's branches became bare and the tree that could curtsy was enjoying a long sleep.Snow and ice made a comfortable white blanket. As always, winter was followed by spring. The old Maple, now well rested, awoke to watch the small green leaves on it's branches develop and grow.
Birds gradually returned from their southern sojourn; so did the beautiful Monarch butterflies. The sun had melted the snow and the ice. Flowers peeked out of the earth to see if it was time yet to reach for the sun and open their petals.
One day, the maple watched a young girl, hand in hand with a tall, fair boy approaching. They were laughing and chattering like magpies. On closer view, the Maple saw it was the girl who had been in such misery last summer. How happy she looked now! The pair sat down at the foot of the tree. "This is my favorite place to visit," said the girl, softly stroking the bark, and the old Maple felt proud."Dear Maple, may I introduce my love? His name is Gerald. Gerald, this is the tree that can curtsy." Gerald looked amused and kissed her on her red lips until she blushed. She was twirling a small diamond on her slender finger. "If you think that a tree can curtsy", said Gerald,"then I believe you because I love you."
The old Maple looked down on the happy pair and smiled indulgently. It made the tree happy to see love and laughter and spring again. It was content.
The End