The Very Tall Tree

One day a young boy sat
Down under a huge tree
He looked very sad so the tree
Spoke to him and said:
"Hello, today is a beautiful day, the sun
Is shining, the wind is calm
What can be making you so sad
On a day like this?"
The boy looked up and answered:
"I'm just bored, there is nothing to do and
Nothing to look forward to"
"Bored you say?" Said the tree very surprised
"Climb up my branches a little way
And tell me what you see"
The boy began to climb and after a while
Stopped and looked out through the leaves
"I see a hill, with a castle at the
Top, flags are flying and horses are running
There are tents and banners
Smoke from cooking fires
I can hear the sound of laughing
It looks as though they are having
Summer fair" Said the boy
"Climb a little higher" Said the
Tree "And look again" so the boy did
The tree was very tall and
As he climbed a gentle
Cool breeze began to flow across him
This time, when he looked out
He could see much further
"What do you see?" Said the tree
"I see a pretty green forest and a
Sparkling river that runs through it, little
Boats are on the river and people are
Swimming and playing in the water
It looks like a lot of fun" Said the boy
"Climb as high as you can" Said
The tree "And tell me
What you can see from my
Highest branches but be careful
You would have gone a long way"
The boy continued to climb, no longer bored
As he made his way
Up through the higher thinner branches he
Noticed, for the first time
Just how beautiful the blue sky was
How amazing the puffy white clouds were as
They drifted slowly across te sky
Like giant mountains full of valleys and
Caverns he watched
Smiling as the birds sweeping and soaring
Chirping and calling played happily
In the rising air
When he could climb no further
He looked out once again
Past a castle and the fun of the fair
Beyond the forest and the pretty
Boats and then further still
"What do you see from the way
Up there?" Said the tree
"I see an ocean" Said the boy "A vast
Glittering ocean"
His voice full of wandering delight
"I see the waves rolling up into the shore
I see huge ships cutting through the water"
The tree chuckled quietly and
Asked: "And where
Do you think those ships are going?"
"To other lands" Said the boy "To
Other lands far away from here"
And he began to think on
That: "Other lands, other people
Excitement" as he climbed down to the ground
Once again the tree asked:
"Did you like what you saw from my branches?"
"Oh yes" Said the boy "Very much"
Then and with a slightly more serious voice
The tree leaned over to the boy and
Said: "And what did you learn?"
The boy looked up no longer sad
But with face glowing with
New ideas and plans "To get more from life
We sometimes need to be able to see just a
Bit further than nose and we need to put
In a little extra effort to climb
A little higher i've learned
That the world is beautiful and
Huge and full of fun
Adventure and possibilities" Said the boy
"Then I think you need to get on with it
Don't you?" Said the tree with a laugh
"I think so too" Said the boy "Goodbye tree"
"Goodbye young man" Said the tree