Aesop | Greece
The Walnut Tree
A walnut tree was repeatedly attacked by people throwing stones and sticks, leaving it wounded and alone despite its desire to share joy.
Once upon a time, there was a tall and beautiful walnut tree. This tree stood next to the road, and it had many plump walnuts hanging from its branches.
Every day, people would stop by the roadside. They would pick up stones and sticks, and throw them at the walnut tree. The branches would shake and the walnuts would fall. People would scramble to gather as many as they could, leaving the ground bare.
This happened so often that the branches of the walnut tree were covered in cuts and bruises. The pain was unbearable. Even though the tree loved to share its fruit, it didn't understand why the people were so cruel.
One day, as the stones and sticks were raining down upon it, the walnut tree cried out. "Oh, it hurts! Why do they hurt me when I give them my fruit to enjoy? Why can't they be kind?"
And so the walnut tree, despite bearing delicious fruit, was left with broken branches, feeling sad and alone. It had wished to spread joy with its bounty, but all it received in return was pain.
