【正见网2004年12月13日】
早晨，儿子起床时，妈妈正在厨房洗碗。下楼来，他就在厨房的地板上兴高采烈的跳来跳去。一边跳一边对妈妈说：“还有两周就过圣诞节了。每一次过圣诞节时，我就很Peppy。”
妈妈没有太听懂他说的这个词“Peppy”，就问他是什么意思。儿子做出要飞翔的样子，说：“就是very happy!”。妈妈看着他，甜蜜的说：“看见你Happy 我也Happy。”
听到妈妈说这一句话，儿子问妈妈：“你有没有听说过一本书‘The Giving Tree'?”妈妈说没有。儿子很失望的样子。然后，不等妈妈再问，就自己给妈妈讲起故事来。
“从前有一个小男孩和一棵树。那棵树和那个小男孩非常相爱。每天，小男孩都去和树玩。他在树荫下睡觉，在树枝上荡秋千，爬树干，还摘树上的苹果吃。树觉得很幸福，很开心。她对小男孩说：只要你幸福，我也幸福。
到小男孩变成少年时，小男孩爱上了一个女孩。他跑来告诉树说，他想造一只船。树就将她所有的枝干给了小男孩，让他造船。树觉得很幸福。
后来小男孩长大成人了，他又来找树帮忙：‘我想造一座房子给我的妻子和孩子住。’。树说：‘那你就把树干拿去吧。’男孩就砍了树造了房子。树觉得很幸福。
小男孩后来老了，他又来到了树跟前。树说：‘我现在真的不能再给你任何礼物了。我什么也没有了，只是一截老树桩而已。’小男孩说：‘我现在不需要太多。我只需要有一个地方让我能坐下来休息一下。’树说：‘那你就来坐在树墩上吧，树墩是很好的坐下来休息的地方。’小男孩就坐下来休息。树觉得很幸福。”
说完了这个故事。儿子接着加一句：“妈妈，你就象那棵树。”我禁不住拥抱了他。很感动。但是，我问他：“从这个故事你学到了什么？”他说：“老师说过的，不能光向别人要东西，自己也要回赠别人。”我说是的。并说那个小男孩有一点儿自私。如果他真的很爱那棵树，那棵树曾经给了他那么多快乐的时光，那他就不应该砍掉那棵树。儿子听着，使劲点头。
很喜欢这个故事。也很喜欢和儿子的这些谈话。因了这些话，一早晨就变得明亮起来。做完事后，就去网上查这本书，原来是出自儿童诗作家Shel Shilverstein的一首儿童诗。也许这首诗后来被编成了故事书，因为，儿子说的故事与原诗有一些出入。
诗的原文是这样的：
THE GIVING TREE
Once there was a tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swining from teh brannches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer's hours away.
And so they love.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I've found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "just apples, twigs, and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad
But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I'm now a man and I must have a house that's all my home."
"I can't give you a house." Tree said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home."
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My lfe has turned so cold," and he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I've nothing but my trunk," she says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really can not help you if you ask for another gift."
"I'm nothing but an old stump now. I'm sorry but I've nothing more to give."
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy ", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
