Theme: Pride and humility

The proud mango tree

There was a large and proud mango tree, which used to look down on the smaller trees and mock the plants around her.

Near her, a chrysanthemum had grown, delicate and with beautiful flowers, which lived his life happily without much pretension.

One day, the proud mango tree said to the gentle chrysanthemum:

- Your life is sad, little flower! You're so short, you live so close to the ground, you can only see insects and worms. From up here I can see the blue sky, feel the wind, receive the sunlight. Furthermore, in my strong branches animals take shelter. With my size and strength, I face the fury of the winds. I feel so sorry for you, who are so fragile.

The delicate chrysanthemum responded nothing. He just looked up and considered that the mango tree was indeed majestic. But he didn't feel envious of the mango tree, nor was he ashamed of being the way he was. The chrysanthemum felt good, he did the best he could with the conditions he had and that was enough for him.

Night came and with it a strong wind began to blow, bringing a lot of rain. A violent storm quickly formed, with frightening thunder and lightning that cut across the sky.

The humble chrysanthemum bent one way, then the other, dodging the strong wind that passed through him.

The same did not happen, however, with the mango tree.

Proud as she was, she didn't admit having to bow down. Then, feeling the force of the wind, she straightened herself up, and raised her branches high, as if she wanted to display her power and accept the fight. But that storm was really strong and a more intense blow of wind, on the rigidity of the mango tree, caused her to tip over and be ripped out of the ground, exposing her huge roots.

The next day, when the first rays of sunlight illuminated the plants, the mango tree could be seen in that sad situation, toppled over, and defeated.

The chrysanthemum lamented the sad end of the mango tree. Even though he was tired, he raised his rods and, with the same serenity as always, he was ready for a new day.

But this story does not end with a sad ending. God always gives new opportunities to those who make mistakes. And so, it was with the mango tree.

Over time, the mango branches, lying on the ground, rotted and fell apart. But some new sprouts appeared thinly. The mango tree re-sprouted thanks to a few roots that remained buried.

The other plants, upon realizing that the mango tree was being reborn, were happy and said words encouraging her to fight for her life.

The mango tree felt the support of her companions, and this helped her a lot to get back on her feet.

It didn't get as big as before, but it got a lot better. She became humbler and kinder. She never said unpleasant things to the chrysanthemum or to anyone else again. She became a big mango tree again. Not in size this time, but yes, a great friend to everyone.

(Text adaptation from the book Conte Mais, vol. 4.)

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com