The Happy mango tree [short story]

Title

Creator

Aunt Julia

Language

English

Year

1937

Subject

Short stories, Philippine (English)

Philippine fiction (English)

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

A young bamboo shoot early in life learned to be discontented. As the shoot grew into a strong bamboo, he watched the mango and marvelled at its evident happiness. The bamboo realized he wanted to be happy, too.

Fulltext

174 THE YO,UNG CITIZEN .July, J .9.Ji ~'-~~~ BIRD AND ARBOR DAY PAGE The Happy Mango Tree By AUNT JULIA AT the middle of a field stood "What makes you so contented and an old mango tree, its happy? I should like to feel as you do,'' trunk so big that it took the bamboo asked with some humility. fom· big boys with arms "A great many things," the mango stretched end to end to encircle tree answered. it. Its great round crown was so thick with foliage that chil-· The bamboo raised its head in surdren could not see what was hid- pl'lse. "What can they .be? I have not den among its branches. The seen any creature try to give you haphot sun beat upon it and the . piness." storms lashed its branches mer- "i do not notice what people and cilessly but it was never heard other creatm·es do or fail to do for me. to grumble. · What I know is what I do for them." A clump of bamboos towered over the mango tree. The bamboos were never contented. They groaned and complained whenThe bamboo could not see the mango's point but it said, "Go on, please. I am interested." ever the wind passed. Smilingly broadly and almost shaking A young bamboo shoot early with sweet joy, the mango went on. in life learned to be discontented. "I would not want to live as long as that old mango tree in this lonely place," it said. The mango heard the remark and smiled benignly. As the shoot grew into a strong bamboo, he watched the mango and marveled at its evident happiness. The bamboo wanted to be happy, too. "Don't you hear the children's merry voices when they play in my shade? Their merriment makes me feel young and gay." "I have always b€en proud of my long trunk that keeps on shooting upward," the bamboo mused. "The children would not care to play around me.'' "I am never wanting in music. The birds that find shelter within my foliage sing to their mates all day." "But not to you," the bamboo retorted. "Perhaps not. But just seeing so much devotion and hearing notes of ( l'let1S<' f 11 r11 tu }Jll gc J .'JJ,) THE HAPPY MANGO TREE (Co11tin11<'cl from 1>age 174) love fill me with love too." The bamboo could not find it easy to believe what it heard. ""Have you witnessed how children shout with glee when they pick my golden fruit~ Could there be a greater source of happiness? "'Which?" .asked the bamboo in surprise. Do you realize --- - - ·----------------------------that your life consists in giving. giving. giving? What do you receive in return?"" ··Happiness." was the mango"s quick reply. "Happiness. my child. comes from giving. not from receiving." And the grand old tree nodded its head to stress its point. SOMETHING TO DO I. The bamboo was (foolish. wise, discontented. lazy>. 2. The mango was (seifi)h. happy. grc.>edy. discontented). 3. Three things that mak<' the mango happy are - -----.and - - - 4. Name other things that the mango gives man. 5. What provetb expresses the central thought of th~ story?

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