And after a long time, the boy returned as an old man.
"I am sorry, Sir," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you - my apples are gone."
"My branches are gone, so there is nothing left to swing on."
"I am too old to swing on branches," was the reply.
"My trunk is gone", said the tree. "You cannot climb."
"I am too tired to climb," said the old man.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something... but I have nothing left. I am an old stump. I'm sorry."
"I don't need very much now," said the elderly man who was now relying on a cane to get about. "Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could. "In that case, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come and rest your weary bones."
The old man was grateful as he rested on the stump and thought about their bond that survived the test of time.
However, as he reflected upon the long journey that they shared together he suddenly realized that the tree loved that little boy with all its heart, and she continued to show her love throughout the different stages of his life. The old man was saddened at the thought that he had taken the tree for granted.
Shel Silverstein - The Giving Tree, 1964.
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