By Santhini Govindan
In a crowded nursery of plants, sat a little mango sapling, just a few inches tall.
It was tiny and insignificant, but the sapling didn’t mind this at all.
Though it had just two tiny yellow leaves on a stem, frail and slight,
The sapling hoped, someday, to grow into a sturdy tree of great height.
A few days later, a farmer bought the sapling, and he took it to his farm.
He planted it in a corner of a field, where it would not come to any harm.
The little sapling got lots of sunshine, and the farmer watered it with care.
Soon the little sapling began to flourish, and grow very well there.
It sprouted more tender green leaves, and its little stem grew longer,
Though it was still a young plant, the sapling steadily grew stronger.
It basked in the warm sunshine, and looked up at the sky.
‘Someday,’ the tree thought, ‘I’ll be a tall tree with branches spreading high.’
The little sapling continued to grow as the days went by.
As it grew bigger, the farmer watched it with an attentive eye.
But one day, unexpectedly, disaster struck the tender mango tree.
One of the goats on the farm spotted it, he was as hungry as can be.
The goat nibbled the little tree’s leaves with his teeth, large and white,
The little tree wailed loudly, and trembled in shock and fright.
After the goat finished eating and wandered away,
The terrified mango tree was filled with dismay.
“That greedy goat has reduced me to such a miserable state,
I’ll never, ever grow up to be a big tree at this rate!”
When the farmer saw the damage that his goat had done to his tree,
He placed a metal tree guard around it, as quick as can be.
The tree felt safe again, and though it had got a terrible fright,
It was confident that from then on, things would surely be alright.
The tree grew taller and stronger, and under the farmer’s watchful eye,
Put out branches covered with leaves, as the seasons went by.
But then one day, the skies suddenly grew dark as night,
The angry wind began to howl with all his might.
When a terrible thunderstorm arrived and hit the farm,
The worried farmer was filled with fear and alarm.
The storm grew stronger and in the pouring rain,
The wind pounded the young mango tree, again and again!
Some of the tree’s branches broke, and fell to the ground with a CRACK!
The helpless young mango tree was stunned by this violent attack.
When the farmer inspected his mango tree after the storm passed,
He was filled with sorrow and upset and aghast.
The young mango tree had been so badly battered,
That it was barely standing, its few remaining leaves were tattered.
The farmer put his arms gently around the trunk of the wounded tree,
“I know that you have been badly hurt,” he said very softly.
“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, “I’ll care you for, and I hope you will agree,
To be brave, and keep growing, till you become a big mango tree!”
Though the little tree was in misery, with its branches all broken,
It took heart when it heard the kind words the farmer had spoken.
The little tree decided that it would not give into sorrow and despair.
It would be optimistic and flourish under the farmer’s loving care.
The young mango tree repaired its wounds in time,
And it grew more strong, sturdy branches that the farmer could climb.
The farmer was pleased and he was waiting eagerly to see,
When flowers would appear on his precious mango tree.
But sadly, misfortune struck the tree again, alas!
Drought spread through the area, and burnt even the green grass.
As the temperature soared, and it became hotter and hotter,
The young mango tree wilted and drooped for want of water.
But the generous farmer helped his precious tree through the worst,
He carried buckets full of water to assuage the growing tree’s thirst.
“My tree will not flower this season,” the farmer thought, downcast,
"But never mind – I am relieved that the terrible drought has passed.”
The farmer’s patience was finally rewarded one day, when he did see,
Clusters of small yellow flowers, blooming on his leafy green mango tree.
“Hooray!” said the farmer happily, throwing his hands up into the air,
Soon I will have homegrown mangoes to share!”
As summer advanced, the mango tree was warmed by the blazing sun,
And tiny green mango fruits appeared on the tree, one by one.
Squirrels, bats, and monkeys came to feast as the mangoes grew in size,
And started to ripen and change colour, under the warm summer skies.
When birds and insects came to live on its branches, the mango tree didn’t mind.
From the generous farmer, the tree had learnt to share, and to be kind.
When the farmer saw fragrant golden mangoes filling his dear mango tree,
He joyfully thanked the tree warmly for its generous bounty.
“You never gave up,” he said, “even when your leaves were eaten,
And when a terrible storm left you battered and beaten.
You just kept going, day in and day out, never discouraged,
Watching you, my precious tree, gave me strength and courage."
"I hope that you will be around for many decades more,
Yielding glorious golden mangoes, and growing in splendor.
When I planted you as a sapling, I did not comprehend,
That you would grow up to inspire me, and become my forever friend!”