Long ago, in the heart of the forest, a poor man wandered in search of firewood. His clothes were tattered, his hands rough from labor, and his eyes carried the weariness of hunger and hardship. Yet despite his struggles, he held on to humility and respect for all things living. One day, as he gathered sticks beneath the great canopy of trees, he heard a strange sound, something like a deep sigh carried on the wind. To his astonishment, a tree before him began to speak.
Its bark seemed to shift as though lips had formed within the wood. The poor man trembled but did not run. He bowed his head and listened.
“Poor man,” the tree said in a voice both ancient and commanding, “I have watched you walk this forest with care. You do not harm more than you must, and you show reverence to the earth. If you honor me, I will bless you with wealth beyond your dreams.”
The man, though shocked, felt a surge of hope. With deep gratitude, he asked the tree how he might honor it.
“Bring offerings,” the tree replied. “Respect me as you would a wise elder, and I will reward you.”
So the man did as he was told. Day after day, he returned with small tokens, bowls of water, grains of millet, and the first fruits of his harvest. He knelt before the tree with a grateful heart. The forest seemed to hum with approval.
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Then one morning, as the sun rose, the man returned to find the tree transformed. Where once its branches had swayed with plain green leaves, now they glittered with the radiance of gold. Each bough was heavy with coins and shining ornaments. The man fell to his knees in awe.
From that day onward, his life changed. He built a modest but sturdy home, fed his family well, and shared what he could with his neighbors. He never ceased to give offerings to the tree, for he remembered the source of his abundance.
But not all who saw his good fortune shared his gratitude. Among his neighbors lived a man consumed by greed. This man, envious of the poor man’s sudden wealth, spied upon him until he discovered the secret of the talking tree. His heart swelled, not with reverence, but with a hunger to claim the treasure for himself.
One night, under the pale moonlight, the greedy neighbor crept into the forest. He carried no offering, no words of respect, only an axe. Standing before the magnificent tree, its branches heavy with gold, he sneered.
“Why should I waste time honoring a tree?” he muttered. “I will take everything at once and be richer than any man alive.”
With that, he swung his axe into the bark. The blow rang through the forest like thunder. But instead of gold pouring forth, a thick, black poison oozed from the wound. It hissed as it touched the ground, releasing a deadly stench. The man gasped, stumbled, and before he could take another breath, he collapsed lifeless beneath the roots of the tree.
The forest fell silent. The tree’s branches swayed, as though mourning, and then stilled.
When morning came, the poor man visited the tree as usual, bringing his humble gifts. He saw the lifeless body of his neighbor lying in the poisoned earth. Shaking his head, he whispered, “Greed has no end but destruction.” He turned his eyes upward to the golden branches, shining peacefully in the light of dawn.
From then on, the poor man continued to live in abundance, always mindful of the respect he owed the tree. He never grew arrogant, nor did he hoard his blessings. Instead, he honored the source of his fortune and lived a life of balance and gratitude.
Moral Lesson
This folktale teaches that gratitude and respect bring blessings, while greed and disrespect invite ruin. The poor man’s humility allowed him to receive wealth without losing his soul. The greedy neighbor, in contrast, sought only to seize and devour, and in his arrogance, he struck at the very thing that could have blessed him.
The Talking Tree reminds us that true abundance comes not from force or selfishness, but from honoring the gifts we are given. Gratitude sustains prosperity; greed destroys it.
Knowledge Check
Who discovered the talking tree in the forest?
– A poor man gathering firewood.
What did the tree promise to the poor man?
– Wealth, if he honored it with respect and offerings.
How did the tree reward the man’s respect?
– Gold grew upon its branches.
What did the greedy neighbor attempt to do?
– He struck the tree with an axe to seize all its wealth at once.
What flowed from the tree when it was struck?
– Deadly poison, which killed the greedy man.
What is the central lesson of the folktale?
– Gratitude and respect bring lasting blessings, while greed leads to destruction.
Source: Sudanese folktale, Bagara Arabs (Arabized Kordofanese tradition). Collected by Frobenius, 1923.
