TheGivingTree.txt

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 hid 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 
and then one day the boy came to the tree 
and the tree said come boy come 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 am sorry said the tree but i have no money 
i have only leaves and apples 
take my applpes 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 gethered 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 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 may cut off my branches and build a house then you will be happy 
and 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 speek 
come boy she wispered come and play 
i am too old and sad to play said the boy i want a boat that can 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 but 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 said the tree i wish that i could give you something but i have nothing left i am just an old stump 
i do not 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 and rest 
and the boy did and the tree was happy 
the end