A proud and powerful king had a huge castle with a big, beautiful garden. Many birds and animals lived there. The king enjoyed their songs each morning and evening. The only thing that bothered him was a big old tree in the middle of the garden. One day, the king ordered his men to cut down the tree and make a fountain in its place. Then, the garden started looking extremely beautiful and divine. Sadly, within a few days, the birds, the butterflies and the animals stopped coming to the garden. The king was puzzled! Then, his wise minister said, “Your Majesty, the birds and the animals ate the fruits and seeds of the big old tree. The butterflies and the bees drank nectar from its flowers. With the big tree gone, they moved to another garden.” The king realised his grave mistake. He immediately ordered his men to plant more trees in the garden and all around his kingdom.
The Big Old Tree
