The Sad Willow

Children, did you know that every flower in the meadow has its fairy and every tree in the forest its elf? The fairies and elves take good care of their flowers and trees. Oaky the oak elf lives in an oak tree. He’s a jolly elf and loves going on new adventures every day with the inhabitants of the forest. Like this one:

One nice sunny day, when Oaky was out walking by the river, he suddenly heard a deep sigh. He looked around but there didn’t seem to be anyone there.

“Ach, oh, ach,” he heard again after a while.

“Who is that sighing?” asked Oaky.

“Me. Alas,” replied the voice, but he still didn’t know whose it was.

“Who’s me?” asked the elf.

“It’s me, see? Willow.”

So it was. A lonely old willow tree stood on the bank of the river. It was bent over and its branches were dipped in the water. It looked very old indeed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t notice you there,” smiled Oaky. “Say, why are you sighing?”

“Oh elf,” replied the sad willow, “even you completely overlooked me. Everyone does. Ach, oh, ach,” sighed the willow.

“Sorry, I was thinking.”

“No one notices me because I'm old and useless,” cried the unhappy willow again.

“Dear oh dear, it’s not like that. Just because you’re old that doesn’t mean you’re useless,” Oaky consoled the poor tree. “For example, by standing here for so long, you’ve helped stabilise the bank with your roots so that it doesn’t fall into the river with the heavy spring rains.”

“Really?” said the willow, sounding a little more hopeful and beginning to calm down.

“Absolutely. May I?” Oaky swung onto one of the willow tree’s long branches and sat down comfortably.…