There was an old apple tree in Tenali’s garden. One day, Tenali decided to cut the tree down. So, taking a sharp axe in his hand, Tenali struck at the roots of the tree.
The grasshoppers, the sparrows and the squirrels came out of their dwelling places and hovered around Tenali, “Please sir, spare this tree’s life. It is our only home.” But their cries were in vain. Tenali continued his task with single-minded concentration. As he raised his axe one more time, something in the hollow of the tree caught his eye.
Suddenly Tenali realised that the tree was not so useless after all. And if he took away the honey now, the bees would make more. They would certainly not abandon such an attractive residence. “Hey, you up there,” he announced as he threw away the axe, “I’m sparing the life of this tree. You can live in peace now.”
The sparrows, the grasshoppers the and squirrels breathed deep sighs of relief.
