Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy. In Shel Silverstein's classic story, , their relationship unfolds through the stages of the boy's life, highlighting a theme of selfless giving. The Story of the Giving Tree
: Finally, the boy returned as a very old man. The tree apologized, saying she had nothing left—no apples, no branches, and no trunk. But the old man said he only needed a quiet place to sit and rest. The tree, now just an old stump, straightened herself up and offered him a seat. The boy sat down, and the tree was happy. The Giving Tree (image pdf)
: Years later, the man returned, wanting a boat to sail away from his troubles. The tree offered her trunk. He cut it down, made a boat, and sailed away. The tree was happy... but not really. Once there was a tree
: The boy returned as a young man, now too busy to play. He wanted a house to keep him warm and a family. The tree offered her branches for him to build a home. The boy cut off her branches and carried them away, leaving her with only a trunk. The Story of the Giving Tree : Finally,
: Every day, the boy would visit the tree to play. He gathered her leaves to make crowns, climbed her trunk, swung from her branches, and ate her apples. When he was tired, he slept in her shade. The tree was happy.