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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Nature & Wildlife
- Published: 01/18/2012
THE STORY OF AN OLD TREE
By:Asqarini
I am an old tree, 30 years old. I am a home to various types of animals, birds, caterpillar and squirrel. I was placed in a small garden. In front of me is a field, a place for children to play soccer and baseball. I am a big tree, 3 meters in height. My branches are plenty, also with lots of leaves, I am growing this old. I have seen so many changes for decades. I have seen children grow to adolescence and then to an adult.
“Good morning Mrs. Bird, what a beautiful day, how are you?” I asked.
“I am doing fine. I want to find food, so I will fly to search it,” she replied.
“O, I hope that you will find plenty of food today,” I told her.
‘Thank you, my friend, I hope God will have mercy for me, and give plenty of food...”
“I hope the same way,” I replied.
One Sunday afternoon, at my branch, Mrs. Bird said to me.
“My old tree… my best friend, I have traveled far away, and I heard news that they want to cut you!” she said.
“Who?” I asked back, in the whispered wind.
“The human beings, they want to cut you off!”
“Where did you learn the news?” I asked.
“I heard it while I searched for food for my offspring,” she replied.
***
The field was filled by children. There was a game for that day. They played soccer. The Red Team has won the game, the score was 3 to 2, and the children loved to play in the field. I witness them all, they also love to take me as their shelter from the sun.
Men who wore nice shirts got out from fancy cars. They showed cocky face expressions as they observed the field.
“My old tree, I heard that they want to build a mall in this field. T hey want to buy this land and change it into a super mall.” said the bird.
“A super mall?” I uttered.
“Yes, they wanted to take everything, and they want to vanish us.
“Oh.. how can that happen to and old tree like me? I have lived for so many years. I have heard so many stories about life, and now they want to take everything away. I am sad to hear the news. Why are human beings so selfish like that?”
The news was spread, and the community learned about the plan. They were in disagreement with it. They decided to make a demonstration to face the men with the suits.
There were plenty of people taking around fliers and flags that showed their disagreement. The flags were written: “Don’t take our field and garden.” They formed a line, and yelled with the flags.
***
Today the fields are empty, no children playing. Mr. Squirrel and Caterpillar said to me,
“My tree, it’s very quiet for today, no children are playing in the field?”.
“Yes,” I said “I miss them, and their laugh. And their running the entire field.”
“By the way, how about the men with the suits, are they coming back?" I asked.
‘No, I didn’t see them. Perhaps because of the demonstration they reconsidered it again,” said the squirrel.
***
The snow began to fall down. My leaves on my branches had already fallen down in the fall season. Now I am leafless. I am bold. The birds, caterpillar and the squirrel stay inside me, hibernating for a long period of time this season.
Four months.
The spring has come, the caterpilar has turned into a beautiful butterfly. I am showing new leaves and flowers. The project has been canceled because of the rejection of the community. They sent a letter to Mr. Major of this town, and to the court. We already won. The demonstration worked. The men with the suits have delayed the project. Now I am free to bloom my beautiful flowers again.
“I tell you one thing, my fellow dear friends, I have been of this age; and I have seen so many things, all the animals, even the small trees and grasses have liked me, they said that I am their home, their shelter, even people in the field like to make me as their shelter from rain and also from the heat of the sun. I am an old tree, 30 years old. I am a home to various types of animals, birds, caterpillar and squirrel. I finally have the freedom to grow and witness generation to generation again. I love all of it. When the wind blows it then carries my pollen from my flowers, helping me to spread the seeds I have. And they will grow along with the little birds carrying my fruits. The harmony is always beautiful, that’s why many people denied the idea of building malls and cutting the trees and breaking the field. I thank all the humans in this neighborhood who gathered together to fight against the constructor.
Yes my friend, it is spring, and it is a fun time!
April 1st, 2009-22 March 2011
Biography
Asqarini was born in Jakarta, 1981. Some of her writings (articles, features, short stories) have already been published in the local youth magazine, Annida, since 2002, and in other of Indonesia’s teens magazines. Recently her poems were published in international links, at Mississippi Crow Magazine, Issue #10; MediaVirus Magazine # 17-USA; www.artistsforfreedom.net, based in Germany; and several short stories at www.storystar.com, based in the US. She has also recorded her 3 poems about Parents, Social issues, a compilation project at Salon Sastra’s Community (SSC’s Compact Disc Volume 1, 2 & 3), together with the local poets and artists. This State University of Jakarta’s alumni, who just won and accepted a Writers Academy scholarship, can also speak French, loves doing environmental activities, and is still working and actively involved in the local and global writing communities.
THE STORY OF AN OLD TREE(Asqarini)
THE STORY OF AN OLD TREE
By:Asqarini
I am an old tree, 30 years old. I am a home to various types of animals, birds, caterpillar and squirrel. I was placed in a small garden. In front of me is a field, a place for children to play soccer and baseball. I am a big tree, 3 meters in height. My branches are plenty, also with lots of leaves, I am growing this old. I have seen so many changes for decades. I have seen children grow to adolescence and then to an adult.
“Good morning Mrs. Bird, what a beautiful day, how are you?” I asked.
“I am doing fine. I want to find food, so I will fly to search it,” she replied.
“O, I hope that you will find plenty of food today,” I told her.
‘Thank you, my friend, I hope God will have mercy for me, and give plenty of food...”
“I hope the same way,” I replied.
One Sunday afternoon, at my branch, Mrs. Bird said to me.
“My old tree… my best friend, I have traveled far away, and I heard news that they want to cut you!” she said.
“Who?” I asked back, in the whispered wind.
“The human beings, they want to cut you off!”
“Where did you learn the news?” I asked.
“I heard it while I searched for food for my offspring,” she replied.
***
The field was filled by children. There was a game for that day. They played soccer. The Red Team has won the game, the score was 3 to 2, and the children loved to play in the field. I witness them all, they also love to take me as their shelter from the sun.
Men who wore nice shirts got out from fancy cars. They showed cocky face expressions as they observed the field.
“My old tree, I heard that they want to build a mall in this field. T hey want to buy this land and change it into a super mall.” said the bird.
“A super mall?” I uttered.
“Yes, they wanted to take everything, and they want to vanish us.
“Oh.. how can that happen to and old tree like me? I have lived for so many years. I have heard so many stories about life, and now they want to take everything away. I am sad to hear the news. Why are human beings so selfish like that?”
The news was spread, and the community learned about the plan. They were in disagreement with it. They decided to make a demonstration to face the men with the suits.
There were plenty of people taking around fliers and flags that showed their disagreement. The flags were written: “Don’t take our field and garden.” They formed a line, and yelled with the flags.
***
Today the fields are empty, no children playing. Mr. Squirrel and Caterpillar said to me,
“My tree, it’s very quiet for today, no children are playing in the field?”.
“Yes,” I said “I miss them, and their laugh. And their running the entire field.”
“By the way, how about the men with the suits, are they coming back?" I asked.
‘No, I didn’t see them. Perhaps because of the demonstration they reconsidered it again,” said the squirrel.
***
The snow began to fall down. My leaves on my branches had already fallen down in the fall season. Now I am leafless. I am bold. The birds, caterpillar and the squirrel stay inside me, hibernating for a long period of time this season.
Four months.
The spring has come, the caterpilar has turned into a beautiful butterfly. I am showing new leaves and flowers. The project has been canceled because of the rejection of the community. They sent a letter to Mr. Major of this town, and to the court. We already won. The demonstration worked. The men with the suits have delayed the project. Now I am free to bloom my beautiful flowers again.
“I tell you one thing, my fellow dear friends, I have been of this age; and I have seen so many things, all the animals, even the small trees and grasses have liked me, they said that I am their home, their shelter, even people in the field like to make me as their shelter from rain and also from the heat of the sun. I am an old tree, 30 years old. I am a home to various types of animals, birds, caterpillar and squirrel. I finally have the freedom to grow and witness generation to generation again. I love all of it. When the wind blows it then carries my pollen from my flowers, helping me to spread the seeds I have. And they will grow along with the little birds carrying my fruits. The harmony is always beautiful, that’s why many people denied the idea of building malls and cutting the trees and breaking the field. I thank all the humans in this neighborhood who gathered together to fight against the constructor.
Yes my friend, it is spring, and it is a fun time!
April 1st, 2009-22 March 2011
Biography
Asqarini was born in Jakarta, 1981. Some of her writings (articles, features, short stories) have already been published in the local youth magazine, Annida, since 2002, and in other of Indonesia’s teens magazines. Recently her poems were published in international links, at Mississippi Crow Magazine, Issue #10; MediaVirus Magazine # 17-USA; www.artistsforfreedom.net, based in Germany; and several short stories at www.storystar.com, based in the US. She has also recorded her 3 poems about Parents, Social issues, a compilation project at Salon Sastra’s Community (SSC’s Compact Disc Volume 1, 2 & 3), together with the local poets and artists. This State University of Jakarta’s alumni, who just won and accepted a Writers Academy scholarship, can also speak French, loves doing environmental activities, and is still working and actively involved in the local and global writing communities.
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