A
DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS´ TALE Aurora
López Fernández, 2nd year Intermediate Level
The old oak
in the forest was covered with snow. A strong storm had damaged it. A beam cut
the trunk and the branches bent.
Close to the oak, a young fir was planted. It grew like a beautiful tree and it was turning into an arrogant fir. It thought it was unlucky because it was close to dried trees. It believed itself to be a majestic and lovely tree, worthy of decorating any garden. It hated to carry the snow like a simple servant. It didn´t agree with the old oak tree. It despised its advice. Really, it didn´t need them. It wished to lead a very full life. Of course, the oak tree had been a great tree, but now it was only a heap of firewood. One day, someone would come and would pull it up.
The fir was thinking about that, when three boys approached it. They were carrying an axe in their hands.
Maliciously, the fir shook its branches to take the snow off and it said to the oak tree:
--- My friend, it´s your time. Are you ready ?
The oak tree had been waiting for this moment and it didn´t say anything.
The boys were talking to each other:
--- This one. It has a suitable size.
--- Hurry up !. We ought to go back for dinner. It´s Christmas´Eve
--- Come on !. We´ll be late. The youngest boy said.
They took their coats off and beat the vain fir. It trembled. One, twice...
By the path a car approached and the frightened boys ran away from the forest. The car stopped and a man with a rifle got off. He was a ranger and then, he caressed smoothly the log. He was angry, but the boys had gone far away and he thought:
--- I will go home. My family´s waiting for me. In Christmas time nobody will be punished. Fortunately I have come in time and the fir hasn´t been felled.
Close to the oak, a young fir was planted. It grew like a beautiful tree and it was turning into an arrogant fir. It thought it was unlucky because it was close to dried trees. It believed itself to be a majestic and lovely tree, worthy of decorating any garden. It hated to carry the snow like a simple servant. It didn´t agree with the old oak tree. It despised its advice. Really, it didn´t need them. It wished to lead a very full life. Of course, the oak tree had been a great tree, but now it was only a heap of firewood. One day, someone would come and would pull it up.
The fir was thinking about that, when three boys approached it. They were carrying an axe in their hands.
Maliciously, the fir shook its branches to take the snow off and it said to the oak tree:
--- My friend, it´s your time. Are you ready ?
The oak tree had been waiting for this moment and it didn´t say anything.
The boys were talking to each other:
--- This one. It has a suitable size.
--- Hurry up !. We ought to go back for dinner. It´s Christmas´Eve
--- Come on !. We´ll be late. The youngest boy said.
They took their coats off and beat the vain fir. It trembled. One, twice...
By the path a car approached and the frightened boys ran away from the forest. The car stopped and a man with a rifle got off. He was a ranger and then, he caressed smoothly the log. He was angry, but the boys had gone far away and he thought:
--- I will go home. My family´s waiting for me. In Christmas time nobody will be punished. Fortunately I have come in time and the fir hasn´t been felled.
When the
ranger went away the oak tree and the fir stayed quiet. The fir was sad. Now,
it was a young and crippled tree.
The oak tree said sweetly:
--- You are lucky. You could have been into a flowerpot in the middle of the living-room. You would be a Christmas tree full of balls hanging out on your branches. The gifts would be around on the floor. But a few days later, you would be useless. They would burn you. You won´t be perfect because you have a deep cut in your trunk, like me. You might grow crooked, but you will stillbe a tree for a long time. Some day you will understand it.
The oak tree said sweetly:
--- You are lucky. You could have been into a flowerpot in the middle of the living-room. You would be a Christmas tree full of balls hanging out on your branches. The gifts would be around on the floor. But a few days later, you would be useless. They would burn you. You won´t be perfect because you have a deep cut in your trunk, like me. You might grow crooked, but you will stillbe a tree for a long time. Some day you will understand it.
For the first time the fir was grateful. It
realized it had a friend nearby. It said to the oak tree:
---Thanks for these words. You are a good friend. I will regret the day you were cut down.
---Thanks for these words. You are a good friend. I will regret the day you were cut down.
The clock
struck twelve. It was 24th December and it began to snow again.
The
forest remained silent, in peace.
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