Stories from Elders 2

The Legend of the Tree  ~ Sister Wolf

When the earth was young, the Lord saw good all over the earth. He had created the trees to represent the roots of all who would be born as time passed. God stood proud and tall as he gathered all the trees in a big circle and said, “Now the test will come in order to serve me right.” He showed the trees the water below. “The water spirit will test you each day, until he weakens you, but to serve only me you must not drink of the water for seven days.” And with those words he left to rest for seven days.

The quest of obeying began…All the trees stood tall and proud and green. Then the days began. One, two, three, four, five…Oh! But on the sixth day, the water spirit was begging the trees, “Drink me, drink me, drink me.” And the waves of the water reached out like huge big arms wrapping around the trees, bringing them to lower their heads down to drink. Temptation set in. Oh, how that water felt good. “Drink me, drink me….drink me, drink me, you can’t live without me.”

“Well,” said most of the trees, “one day shouldn’t make a difference.” “No, no!” replied the pine trees. “You must not drink the water; you must obey God!” But the other trees didn’t listen. The spirit of the pine trees felt so sad as he saw them drinking the water.

On the seventh day the Lord returned to the earth and although he already knew the answer, he asked, “Did you all serve me the seven days?” “Well, no,” said most of the trees, “we did not think one day would make a difference.” But the Pint Trees, the evergreens, still standing tall and proud said, “Yes, yes, we obeyed your command and served you well for all seven days.”

For this God replied, “I will show you I have power over all. For that one day you lost your faith in me, you shall lose one season and it will be named Fall. Come Spring, you will regain your colors.”

“The Pine Tree, the evergreen, shall remain green all year round and never thirst. It will be seen all over the world, at the top of the highest mountains, to remind you of all the good on earth.”

So, God gave the Pine Tree to the human race to use on Christmas Day to remember him, and to know that all good comes from God.” The Lord left his blessing on the Pine Tree…and he brought the shiniest star from the heavens to be over them!


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