The Great Kapok Tree

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

 

The following is a children's story that I got from the library for my

son. Consistently I find remarkable stories that reach far beyond the

target audience. It's a really great read and is my prayer for the

upcoming Harmonic Convergence.

 

Love,

PAMIR

www.reikihelp.com

 

------

--------

 

INTRODUCTION

 

In the Amazon rain forest it is always hot, and in that heat everything

grows, and grows, and grows. The tops of the trees in the rain forest

are called the canopy. The canopy is a sunny place that touches the sky.

The animals that live there like lots of light. Colorful parrots fly

from tree to tree. Monkeys leap from tree to tree. The bottom of the

rain forest is called the understory. The animals that live in the

understory like darkness. There, silent snakes curl around hanging

vines. Graceful Jaguar watch and wait.

 

And in this steamy environment the great Kapok tree shoots up through

the forest and emerges above the canopy.

 

This is the story of a community of animals that live in one such tree.

 

THE GREAT KAPOK TREE by Lynne Cherry

 

Two men walked into the rain forest. Moments before, the forest had been

alive with the sounds of squawking birds and howling monkeys. Now all

was quiet as the creatures watched the two men and wondered why they had

come.

 

The larger man stopped and pointed to a great Kapok tree. Then he left.

 

The smaller man took the ax he carried and struck the trunk of the tree.

Whack! Whack! Whack! The sounds of the blows rang through the forest.

The wood of the tree was very hard. Chop! Chop! Chop! The man wiped the

sweat that ran down his face and neck. Whack! Chop! Whack! Chop!

 

Soon the man grew tired. He sat down to rest at the foot of the great

Kapok tree. Before he knew it, the heat and the hum of the forest lulled

him to sleep.

 

A boa constrictor lived in the Kapok tree. He slithered down its trunk

to where the man was sleeping. He looked at the gash the ax had made in

the tree. Then the huge snake slid very close to the man and hissed in

his ear: " Senhor, this tree is a tree of miracles. It is my home, where

generations of my ancestors have lived. Do not chop it down. "

 

A bee buzzed in the sleeping man's ear: " Senhor, my hive is in the Kapok

tree, and I fly from tree to tree and flower to flower collecting

pollen. In this way I pollinate the trees and flowers throughout the

rain forest. You see, all living things depend on one another. "

 

A troupe of monkeys scampered down from the canopy of the Kapok tree.

They chattered to the sleeping man: " Senhor, we have seen the ways of

man. You chop down one tree, then come back for another and another. The

roots of these great trees will wither and die, and there will be

nothing left to hold the earth in place. When the heavy rains come, the

soil will be washed away and the forest will become a desert. "

 

A toucan, a macaw, and a cock-of-the-rock flew down from the canopy.

" Senhor! " squawked the toucan, " you must not cut down this tree. We

have flown over the rain forest and seen what happens once you begin to

chop down the trees. Many people settle on the land. They set fires to

clear the underbrush, and soon the forest disappears. Where once there

was life and beauty only black and smoldering ruins remain. "

 

A bright and small tree frog crawled along the edge of a leaf. In a

squeaky voice he piped in the man's ear: " Senhor, a ruined rain forest

means ruined lives...many ruined lives. You will leave many of us

homeless if you chop down this great Kapok tree. "

 

A jaguar had been sleeping along a branch in the middle of the tree.

Because his spotted coat blended into the dappled light and shadows of

the understory, on one noticed him. Now he leapt down and padded

silently over to the sleeping man. He growled in his ear: " Senhor, the

Kapok tree is home to many birds and animals. If you cut it down, where

will I find my dinner? "

 

Four tree porcupines swung down from branch to branch and whispered to

the man: " Senhor, do you know what we animals and humans need in order

to live? Oxygen. And, Senhor, do you know what trees produce? Oxygen! If

you cut down the forests you will destroy that which gives us all life. "

 

Several anteaters climbed down the Kapok tree with their young clinging

to their backs. The unstriped anteater said to the sleeping man:

" Senhor, you are chopping down this tree with no thought for the future.

And surely you know that what happens tomorrow depends upon what you do

today. The big man tells you to chop down a beautiful tree. He does not

think of his own children, who tomorrow must live in a world without

trees. "

 

A three-toed sloth had begun climbing down from the canopy when the men

first appeared. Only now did she reach the ground. Plodding ever so

slowly over to the sleeping man, she spoke in her deep and lazy voice:

" Senhor, how much is beauty worth? Can you live without it? If you

destroy the beauty of the rain forest, on what would you feat your

eyes? "

 

A child from the Yanomamo tribe who lived in the forest knelt over the

sleeping man. He murmured in his ear: " Senhor, when you awake, please

look upon us all with new eyes. "

 

The man awoke with a start. Before him stood the rain forest child, and

all around him, staring, were the creatures who depended upon the great

Kapok tree. What wondrous and rare animals they were!

 

The man looked about and saw the sun streaming through the canopy. Spots

of bright light glowed like jewels amidst the dark green forest. Strange

and beautiful plants seemed to dangle in the air, suspended from the

great Kapok tree.

 

The man smelled the fragrant perfume of their flowers. He felt the

steamy mist rising from the forest floor. But the heard no sound, for

the creatures were strangely silent.

 

The man stood and picked up his ax. He swung back his arm as though to

strike the tree. Suddenly he stopped. He turned and looked at the

animals and the child.

 

He hesitated. Then he dropped the ax and walked out of the rain forest.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I hope you don't mind but I posted this to my site

 

http://groups.msn.com/GETWHATYOUNEED

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

Love Always,

 

Butterfly

 

 

 

 

Post your free ad now! Canada Personals