2. A The stream seemed to sing as it
beautiful rushed over the pebbles in its
weeping bed, and joyously watered the
willow stood thirsty flowers that stood on its
in a garden. banks. Often, the weeping willow
His drooping would complain to the babbling
branches were a stream.
fresh green, and A kind shepherd boy often
would sway grace- found shade under the weeping
fully whenever the willow’s branches, while his sheep
breeze blew. Every- grazed in the field nearby and
one loved the tree— drank from the stream. The shep-
that is, except for the herd boy noticed the tree’s sad-
tree himself. ness, and tried to cheer him up by
“If only I were tall- singing and playing his flute.
er,” the weeping willow But nothing worked. The
would say. “And if only weeping willow only grew more
my branches stretched miserable. His branches hung
high into the sky, rather lower to the ground. Finally, the
than down to the earth! And shepherd boy gave up; it was no
if only I bore fruit! I’m so use- use trying to make the weeping
less!” willow happy when he refused
The weeping willow lived to think of anything but his sup-
near a crystal-blue stream. posed misery.
3. The shepherd boy visited the how I can
tree less and less often, and finally help this poor
stopped visiting altogether. child.
Soon people started to call the The little
tree “Weepy,” because he was al- girl made her
ways depressed and unhappy. And way slowly to-
Weepy, too, grew weary with loneli- wards the weeping
ness. If only he could see the cheery willow and stood
shepherd boy again! Now life was before his drooping
truly sad for him. branches and leaves,
Then one day, something took shivering and fright-
place that changed Weepy’s out- ened.
look. A raging storm pelted the Protect her from
surrounding hills and valley where the storm, the weeping
Weepy stood. The wind blew fierce- willow heard God whisper.
ly and rain poured down. In the Your branches and leaves
midst of the storm, Weepy saw a lit- will keep out the wind and
tle girl stumbling through the pour- rain until she is found.
ing rain. He could hear her crying as The tree obeyed, and
she tried to make her way through opened his branches, making
the storm. a little doorway. The little girl
She must be lost! Weepy walked through the opening,
thought. I want to help her, but and sat under the tree’s great
what can I do? Dear God, show me leafy branches.
4. It howling wind now seemed to hum a
was quiet melody in his branches and leaves.
and peace- By morning, the storm had end-
ful there, ed. The tree smiled as the girl woke
and safe from up. She yawned, rubbed her eyes
the terrible and smiled back at the weeping wil-
storm. low.
The weeping The weeping willow then saw
willow dropped the shepherd boy who used to sit
his softest leaves to under his branches before, run-
make a bed for the ning frantically toward them. The
child, and watched boy looked like he was searching
as she snuggled to for something. Or is it someone?
sleep on them. Covered thought Weepy.
tenderly with Weepy’s The weeping willow opened its
branches and leaves, she leaves, and the girl ran to her broth-
fell asleep, while the storm er’s arms. They both hugged the
raged on. weeping willow tightly and kissed his
The weeping willow was bark.
blissfully happy. Now he was “Thank you,” the girl said sweetly.
useful for something! He had “You protected me from the
saved a child from the storm and storm.”
had made her happy, too. How How wonderful the weeping
wonderful life seemed! Even the willow felt! God had heard his prayer
