AN APPLE TREE 苹果树的故事

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and lay around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow...He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

Time went by...the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid. I don't play around trees anymore,” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I don't have money... but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy, but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. The tree was happy, but it was not true.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you...” the tree said.

“I don't have teeth to bite,” the boy replied.

“No more trunk for you to climb on.”

“I'm too old for that now,” the boy said.

“I really can't give you anything...the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.

“I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the boy replied.

“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come, come sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

很久以前，有一棵高大的苹果树。一个小男孩每天都来这里，躺在树下。他有时爬上树冠，有时摘苹果吃，有时在树荫下打个盹……他喜欢这棵树，树也喜欢陪他玩耍。

时间一点点过去……小男孩长大了，再也不每天都围着树玩耍了。一天，他来到苹果树前，看起来一副很伤心的样子。“来和我玩儿吧。”树发出邀请。“我不是个小孩子了，不能总是绕着树玩儿。”男孩答道，“我想要玩具，我需要钱买玩具。”“抱歉啊，我没有钱……不过你可以把我的苹果都摘走拿去卖了，你就有钱了。”男孩兴奋极了，他摘走了满树的苹果，高兴地离开了。之后他再也没回来，苹果树感到很难过。

有一天，男孩回来了，苹果树心里美滋滋地说：“快来跟我玩儿吧。”“我哪有时间玩儿啊， 我得赚钱养家。我需要房子住，你能帮我吗？”“不好意思，我没有房子。不然你把我的树枝全砍下来，拿去盖房子吧。”男孩果真砍走了所有的树枝，高兴地离开了。苹果树看他这么高兴自己也很开心，但打那之后，男孩再也没来过。树又寂寞伤心起来。

盛夏的一天，男孩回来了，大树变得神采奕奕。“快来跟我玩儿吧！”大树说。“我过得不开心，一天比一天老。我想出海放松放松，能给我一艘船吗？”“用我的树干造一艘船吧，这样你就能开开心心地破浪远航了。”男孩真把树干砍下做成船出海去了，很久没有露面。大树表现得可高兴了，但其实一点也不开心。

多年以后，男孩终于回来了。“对不住啊，孩子。我再没有什么可以给你了，连苹果我也没有了……”大树说。

“我连苹果也咬不动了。”男孩答道。

“我也没有树干让你爬了。”

“我早就老得爬不动了。”男孩说。

“我真是给不了你什么了……只剩下日渐枯萎的树根了。”大树流着泪说。

“我要的不多，有个地方歇歇脚就行。这些年我太累了。”男孩回答。

“那敢情好。老树根可是靠着休息的最佳场所。来吧，来跟我坐在一起休息一下。”男孩坐了下来，大树高兴地笑了，老泪纵横。

-chop [tʃɒp] v. 砍

It is better to give than to receive. (给予比索取更伟大。)