|
Once upon a time
a squirrel got
into a hole of a
strong and big
tree.
It was the
perfect shelter
for the little
squirrel to
live. Happy, he
moved there.
The tree started
protecting him
against the
wind, rain, cold
and wild
animals, which
always
represented a
risk.
|
 |
Happy, the
squirrel thought
about putting
his house in
order. As it was
too small, he
thought of
enlarging it.
With his strong
and sharp teeth,
he started
gnawing the wall
to enlarge his
house. He
dreamed about
having a family
and needed space
for his wife and
the kids to
come.
Then, he
enlarged the
hole creating
another bedroom,
a room where he
could eat and a
deposit to keep
nuts he found.
The winter
tended to be
rigorous and it
was needed to
store the food
to not go
hungry.
The squirrel
organized his
house
tastefully,
decorating and
cleaning to wait
for his family’s
arrival.
As he wasn’t
satisfied with
what he’s got,
always desiring
more, he kept
enlarging it.
 |
The others
dwellers of the
tree, birds,
insects and
other bugs,
complained:
— Squirrel,
you’re
destroying our
home! Our friend
tree is getting
weaker.
He replied:
|
|
— You are wrong.
This tree is
strong and its
roots are deep.
One day, at the
beginning of the
winter, he had
gone out
searching for
food and took
some hours. When
he came back, he
had a great
surprise. He
tried to find
his house:
— Where is my
home, the leafy
and friendly
tree?...
Scared, he
couldn’t believe
what he saw: The
tree, which was
so strong, so
firm, was on the
floor!
|
 |
 |
How did it fall
down?
Trying to figure
what could had
happened, the
squirrel got
closer to see
what was going
on, and then he
noticed, he had
gnawed its
roots, making
the
|
|
tree
weaker,
with the
huge
hole he
had done
inside
the
trunk. |
The squirrel
realized then,
too late, the he
was the sole
responsible for
the fall of that
tree. In his
wild ambition,
he had destroyed
the home the
Lord had given
him, and not
only him, but
all the others
beings who also
lived there.
It would be
enough if he had
been pleased
with what he had
got, so that he
could live there
in peace and
safe. However,
his desire to
always have
more, made him
destroy his own
home and the
birds’, little
animals’ and
bugs’ that lived
there.
Now, upset and
sorry, the
squirrel was
regretful. It
was the
beginning of the
winter and he
needed to look
for another
shelter, if he
didn’t want to
suffer from the
cold.
However, he
trusted God. He
knew that, as he
had found that
hole, he’d find
another one. He
couldn’t give up
and should learn
from his own
mistakes.
So, humbly, he
came up to his
companions, who
were all sad,
and told them:
— I apologize. I
made a big
mistake and now
everybody is
homeless. But,
we can’t give
up. I promise to
give you guys
another tree.
Trust God!
The birds,
little animals
and bugs got
happier, feeling
a new sense of
hope in their
hearts.
And the
squirrel, from
that day on,
never made the
same mistake,
accepting and
adapting to the
conditions of
life God gave
him.
Aunt Célia
|
