Story of the Moving Tree – mohsen fardroo – اندیشه روز Updated thinking

Story of the Moving Tree

It is mentioned in the local and indigenous stories of this land that in a faraway village on the top of a hill in a green farm there was a tree and the villagers believed that the tree could move.

The farm owned by a generous girl. The little girl lived with her grandmother. Her grandpa had said it before according to a legend: “if a real knight rides on this tree in the last month of spring, the tree will move.”

The story of the Moving Tree had reached to other farther lands and brave men who considered themselves as the best knights came to this village every year in the last month of spring to try to ride and move the tree. Different people also came to this village from different lands to see who finally moves the tree and get to know him.

The presence of people and knights in this village in the last month of spring caused a large and fascinating ceremony to be held every year and the farm was called “Knights’ Farm”. To test their luck, the knights gave the little girl three gold coins and took turns in the knighthood contest.

But years passed and the tree never moved. Knights climbed the tree one after another but, it didn’t move at all. People laughed and mocked the knights saying they were untruthful and the shameful knights would take off their outfits and leave that village dishonorably.

The story of the knights’ farm reached the governor of that land. He, who had introduced himself as the master of all the knights, was forced to come to the village in the last months of spring to show that he was a real knight.

The grandmother told to little girl that if the governor is not a real knight and the tree wouldn’t move, he would be upset and would also destroy the farm and the village. The little girl, who had a compassionate heart, said, “I have no doubt that if the governor is really master of all the knights, the tree will move and there is nothing to worry about.”

The day of the ceremony came and the governor arrived to the farm in the heavy and well-equipped outfits and many attendants around him and gave a bag full of gold to the girl so went to climb a tree to prove that he was a real knight. All the people gathered from different parts of the land to watch the tree moves, but when the governor stood on top of the tree and ordered the tree to move, it didn’t happened. The governor ordered again. He did it again and again tried quite a lot of times to move the tree, but the tree stood still.

People and those around governor were started to doubt, they slowly whispered to each other that the governor may not be a real knight. The governor, who had lost his credibility and reputation, shouted for the girl to be brought saying that the basis of this story was the lie of this little girl, so the Knight Tree was furthermore a lie. The girl and her grandmother were brought up to the hill and the governor called them liar and said that the punishment for such a big lie is that I will tie you to the same tree from now until the end of next season for starvation to punish you.

The people were upset but no one dared to complaint. The girl kindly said, “But my grandfather was a real knight and he rode on this tree and moved.” The governor got angry and said: “you mean that I am not a real knight?” Now that you have said this, get on this tree and if you cannot move it, I will burn this tree and the farm. The little girl went to the top of the tree with fear and concern then started to caress the foliage and said to the tree that I know you are the knights’ tree and you only move when a knight rides you, but I request you to move me now so that my farm and my grandmother wouldn’t harm. The governor was waiting and when he saw that the tree did not move, he shouted: “Oh people, see that the knight tree is nothing but a lie, the tree never moves so this girl, her grandmother, the tree and the farm must be burned.”

A tear fell from the little girl’s eyes on the leaves and suddenly the tree shook softly from the buzz of the leaves and moved two steps forward. The people shouted for joy and praised. They said that this girl was a real knight that is why the tree moved. The governor said to himself that there must be a trick and I should find the secret so I can move the tree to regain my lost reliability and respect of all knights. Suddenly he changed his behavior and gave another bag of gold to the little girl and shouted: I will move the tree in front of all the people next day. All of you, this girl and her grandmother will be my guests until tomorrow, and all the audiences must stay to see me move the tree and confess that I am a knight. The witnesses knew that the governor had taken everyone imprisoned so that they could not leave the farm and the news of this unfaithful knights should not be leaked anywhere.

The governor ordered the girl and her grandmother to be taken to her large alone with them He said to the girl, “I know that you and your grandmother used a trick to move this tree. If you do not teach me this trick and I cannot move the tree next day, my reputation will be lost in front of the people. I will destroy you and all the audiences tomorrow and I will ruin this farm and the tree so that the news of the knights does not reach to other lands.” The girl said: “I will tell you the secret of this, but you must promise that I, my grandmother and all the spectators will be released and you will not harm anyone. The ruler promised.”

Then she told that my grandfather used to say that the secret of moving this tree is in kindness and love, and with compassion and affection, everything can be moved. The governor was happy and said: “If this secret of yours is true, I will move the tree tomorrow but then if is you will all be punished.”

The next morning, as the sun rose the crowd waited to see if the governor could move the tree and prove himself as a knight. The governor went to the top of the tree and touched the tree, tried to speak kindly to the tree and asked to move, but the tree did not move. Whatever the he did until noon, the tree did not move.

Finally the governor became angry, drew his sword, crash into the leaves, and shouted angrily at the audiences: “This little girl said that her grandfather had believed that with love and kindness, anything in this world can be moved.” then went to the little girl, turned to her and said with the same anger: “Right?” The girl said with fear: “That’s right. My grandfather used to say that real knights are those who can move everything with love and kindness.” The governor said, “If everything moves with kindness and love, go to the top of this rock and move it” … The girl said, “I have never seen this rock moves.” The governor said, “Then you are nothing but a liar. Either move this stone or I will destroy the farm.” The little girl climbed to the top of a large boulder near them.

People looked at this scene with concern. They knew that if the prevailing anger did not subside, he would punish them all. The little girl put her hand kindly on the stone and said toward the stone: “Oh generous stone, if you do not move from your place, these people and this farm will be in danger, so show us your generosity that with kindness, the world can be moved.” Suddenly, the boulder moved with a loud voice in front of the governor and all the audience eyes, and took two steps forward.

The sound of people cheering and clapping went to the sky and people shouted that this girl is the real knight. Governor said: “this little girl knows magic and is nothing but a liar. Otherwise how can a tree and a stone move?” The little girl said: “I promise you, if you are kind and loving, you can do these things.” The governor asked how? The girl said: “You go up the tree and promise that if the tree moves you will be kind to people”.

The governor said: “This will be your last chance and if the tree does not move, I will punish you and all these people and the farm.” Then he went to the top of the tree and said: “I promise to be kind to the people” then waited for the tree to move but the nothing happened. Complete silence was everywhere. People were trapped in fear and anxiety. The little girl said: “The tree must believe your promise. Tell the tree how will you be kind to people”? The governor then said: “If the tree moves, I will distribute half of my wealth to the poor people to prove my kindness”. With this word, the tree moved slowly and took two steps forward. The people cheers up to the sky… The governor said: “It is not enough, I am the leader of the knights, and this tree should move more than this to show everyone that I am the master of all the knights in this land.”

The little girl said: “What should this tree do to satisfy you?” He replied: “If this tree moves to near the opposite river, I will not punish and these people.” There was a roaring river near the farm. People believed that the distance between the tree and river is so long, so it is impossible for the tree to go that far. The little girl said: “Oh governor, so you should show this tree how kind you are.”

He said, “If this tree goes near the river, I will distribute all my wealth among the poor.”

Suddenly the tree moved slowly and gently led the governor to near of the sparkling river and surprised audience walked behind the tree. When the tree was placed by the river the governor yelled: “People, you saw that I was able to move this tree hundreds of steps and it was proved that I am head of all the knights because no one has been able to move this tree so far before. But I do not decide to divide my assets I just wanted you to see this tree moves and what I am capable of. The girl said: “You mean you lied and you do not want to be loving and kind to people?

He answered: “This is far from the rule of real knights.” Then laughed out loud and shouted: “Because it has been proven that I am the master of all knights in this land, from now on this farm and this village will be my property and the knights’ ceremonies only will be performed under my supervision.”

The tree realized that governor lied and would not be kind to others so the tree made a hard shaking and threw the governor with a sharp move into the middle of the roaring river. The governor had not finished speaking properly and he, who was dressed in the heavy outfits, soon went downwards in the roaring waves of the river. People were happy to be rescued from him and embraced the little girl.

The girl went among them and said: “My grandfather always believed that the whole world is moving and the secret of the movement of this world is love and kindness of people and all creatures towards each other. The sun rises in the morning with love and kindness to benefit people, animals, plants and nature from its light and warmth, and the moon kindly guides the lost at night. The trees kindly produce fruit and the animals kindly provide wool and meat so people benefit from them. Bees produce honey with kindness and chickens lay eggs with kindness and… The secret and the basis of movement of the whole universe exist in love and kindness towards each other.” People hold her close and respected her.

Mohsen Fardroo

28 May 2021

mohsenfardroo@gmail.com