Theme: Pride and humility
The proud mango tree
|
There was a large and proud mango tree, which
used to look down on the smaller trees and mock
the plants around her. |
Near her, a chrysanthemum had grown, delicate and with
beautiful flowers, which lived his life happily without
much pretension.
One day, the proud mango tree said to the gentle
chrysanthemum:
- Your life is sad, little flower! You're so short, you
live so close to the ground, you can only see insects
and worms. From up here I can see the blue sky, feel the
wind, receive the sunlight. Furthermore, in my strong
branches animals take shelter. With my size and
strength, I face the fury of the winds. I feel so sorry
for you, who are so fragile.
The delicate chrysanthemum responded nothing. He just
looked up and considered that the mango tree was indeed
majestic. But he didn't feel envious of the mango tree,
nor was he ashamed of being the way he was. The
chrysanthemum felt good, he did the best he could with
the conditions he had and that was enough for him.
Night came and with it a strong wind began to blow,
bringing a lot of rain. A violent storm quickly formed,
with frightening thunder and lightning that cut across
the sky.
The humble chrysanthemum bent one way, then the other,
dodging the strong wind that passed through him.
The same did not happen, however, with the mango tree.
Proud as she was, she didn't admit having to bow down.
Then, feeling the force of the wind, she straightened
herself up, and raised her branches high, as if she
wanted to display her power and accept the fight. But
that storm was really strong and a more intense blow of
wind, on the rigidity of the mango tree, caused her to
tip over and be ripped out of the ground, exposing her
huge roots.
The next day, when the first rays of sunlight
illuminated the plants, the mango tree could be seen in
that sad situation, toppled over, and defeated.
The chrysanthemum lamented the sad end of the mango
tree. Even though he was tired, he raised his rods and,
with the same serenity as always, he was ready for a new
day.
But this story does not end with a sad ending. God
always gives new opportunities to those who make
mistakes. And so, it was with the mango tree.
Over time, the mango branches, lying on the ground,
rotted and fell apart. But some new sprouts appeared
thinly. The mango tree re-sprouted thanks to a few roots
that remained buried.
The other plants, upon realizing that the mango tree was
being reborn, were happy and said words encouraging her
to fight for her life.
The mango tree felt the support of her companions, and
this helped her a lot to get back on her feet.
It didn't get as big as before, but it got a lot better.
She became humbler and kinder. She never said unpleasant
things to the chrysanthemum or to anyone else again. She
became a big mango tree again. Not in size this time,
but yes, a great friend to everyone.
(Text adaptation from the book Conte
Mais, vol. 4.)
Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com
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