The Maple Tree

Long ago, on a tall and crooked mountain, there lived a Maple Tree. The land around the Tree was home to many animals, large and small alike, and they lived in harmony. However, one day, one of the flying squirrels living in the mountain asked the Maple Tree for a place to live. The Maple Tree happily agreed, carving open a crook in its trunk for the squirrel to stay. The squirrel was very content, and soon, an entire family of squirrels lived in the tree. Soon, a little porcupine came up to the tree, asking for a place to stay. The Maple Tree repeated what they did before, opening another crook in their trunk. This process repeated for many years, among many animals, as aphids, wasps, more squirrels and porcupines, and deer began to make their homes in and around the tree. One winter, the Maple Tree bid its residents goodbye as they fell asleep, to drift among their dreams in hibernation. However, when Spring came, the Tree's residents didn't wake. Over the long, cold winter, the bitter Winter had stolen the lives of each of the animals living in the tree. Overcome with sadness, the Maple Tree began to cry, creating rivers of sap that ran down their face. Every spring since, every maple tree cries sap, reliving the pain of the Maple Tree.