The Evergreen Trees

17 The Evergreen Trees A long time ago, trees in forests kept their leaves year round. Summer or winter, it didn't matter. That's just the way it was. But one winter, things changed, and would never be the same again. The cold winter winds were blowing, and the birds were flying south where it was warm. All the birds, that is, except for one small bird with a broken wing. As the injured bird watched its friends going south, it stood thinking, “ I will be dead before you come back next summer. I will not survive this coming winter. " The little bird hopped along, its broken wing hanging uselessly at its side. It came to a huge oak tree. “ Please, Mr. Oak, " said the bird. “ May I take shelter on your branches for the winter?" The oak tree huffed and puffed. “ Move on, bird, " said the oak tree. " I am the king of the forest. I will never accept you on my branches. "

And so, the bird came next to a white birch tree. The birch tree thought it was the prettiest tree in all the land. When the little bird asked for shelter, the birch tree said, " Go away from me! I must take care of my beautiful leaves. You will get hungry and eat some of my leaves. No, no, no! Move along. " The winter was fast approaching. The injured little bird finally came to a big spruce tree. “ May I take shelter in your branches?" pleaded the bird. And, to its surprise, the spruce tree agreed. “ Come, little bird. You may rest with me and I will do my best to keep you warm. " And so, the bird found shelter in the branches of the kind spruce tree. A pine tree noticed this and said, “ I will stand here all winter, little bird. My branches will keep the wind from you. Do not worry. You will be safe with us. " Later, the cold North Wind came to blow in the forest. It blew so hard that it knocked all the leaves from the oak and the birch. It was going to blow the leaves off the spruce and pine too, but its father said no, for he had seen the good work of these trees in helping the bird. And that, dear friend, is why some trees lose their leaves in winter, and some do not.