The Tree That Didn’t Know Who It Really Was

The story of The Tree Who Did Not Know Who He was tells of a distant kingdom in which lived a gardener who loved his work. One day he asked the king for permission to plant the most beautiful garden known on Earth. It would have taken some time, but the result would have been worth it. He was very meticulous and the plants he chose would have offered a spectacle never seen before. The king enthusiastically agreed.

With infinite patience, the gardener planted the seeds one by one, choosing the best place for each one. He watered and fed them every day. He knew that plants are noble beings and that they always respond to those who care for them.

Months passed and finally the first stems, the first leaves, began to grow. The gardener was immensely happy at the sight of this explosion of life. After some time, roses bloomed and filled the garden with color. Daisies and carnations also grew. A short time later, the apple trees began to bear fruit and the whole environment was impregnated with their aroma. The garden was lush, except for one plant that did not flower or bear fruit.

The tree that didn’t know who it was

The seedling grew more slowly than the others. The gardener thought it might take longer to bloom, but it would still do. So he waited patiently, but he noticed no change. The story goes that more than a year passed, but the plant was almost unchanged compared to the beginning. It had a stronger and stronger stem, leaves and branches, but no flowers and even fewer fruit appeared.

The rose bush, who was very friendly, wanted to give him some advice. “Gaze at the sun,” she told him. “I looked the sun in the face and you see how I blossomed. I think you are a rose bush and you just need a little more light and warmth to bloom ”. The plant listened to him and from then on every morning it looked at the sun for a long time. She also tried to stretch herself so that her rays would reach her better. But nothing. No flowers sprouted from its branches.

It was then that the apple tree intervened. “The rose bush doesn’t know what it’s saying,” he said. “Actually you are like me, an apple tree. You just need to absorb the water more intensely. You will see that in a short time you will not only bloom, but also give sweet fruit. Listen to what I tell you, I know what I’m talking about ”.

The plant, which was now a small tree, listened carefully to the apple tree. He thought he might be right. So, every time they watered it, it absorbed as much water as possible. He tried hard, but he didn’t mind. He just wanted to bear fruit. But more than that, he wanted to understand who he was. And being an apple tree attracted him.

The tree that did not know who it was, parable about the ego

Some time passed, but nothing changed. The tree that did not know who it was, continued to give neither roses nor apples. And this filled him with pain. What kind of tree was it if it was unable to infuse the garden with aroma and beauty? What flaw did he have that made him unable to be who he was? After all, he felt inferior to everyone. A tree that produces nothing, is useless, he repeated to himself.

He let himself be overcome by sadness, until one day an owl arrived, the wisest of the birds. He saw him so distressed that he alighted on one of its branches and tried to strike up a conversation. The tree that did not know who it was told him the reasons for his sadness. Then the owl asked him for permission to inspect it carefully. The tree agreed while all the plants watched the scene curiously.

After observing it from top to bottom, the owl alighted again on one of its branches. “I know what’s going on,” he said, leaving everyone waiting for an explanation. “You are not a rose bush or an apple tree or anything like that. You are an oak and you must not blossom or bear fruit like others. Your destiny is to grow up to heaven and become majestic. You will be a nest for birds, a refuge for travelers and the pride of this garden ”.

The owl’s words left everyone amazed. The tree that did not know who it was understood that it was wrong to want to be like the others. The rose bush and the apple tree felt a little ashamed. They wanted to help him, but it was not possible for them because the rose bush thought of it as such and so did the apple tree. They all learned their lesson. And so it was that it became the most beautiful garden on Earth, with the oak as a fundamental element.