The Little Apple Tree

Every year she grew the reddest and juiciest apples in the orchard. Families from all across town would come visit her and pick the apples from her branches. Her apples were so delicious that at the end of every season, every last apple had always been picked. Every year. It was the same until one apple season a windstorm hit the apple orchard. A strong gust blew through her branches, shaking her leaves and apples. She tried to hold on to them, to save them for the happy families, but

the wind was just too strong. An apple fell from the big apple tree, tumbling onto the grass. It rolled away, settled in a soft patch of grass, hidden from the orchard goers. There it laid as over time the apple withered away, leaving small seeds scattered on the dirt. Relying on the wind and the animals, The seeds eventually burrowed their way under the cool earth, just like the mama apple tree had grown years before. One of the seeds began to sprout green shoots pushed their way up, up, up,

until they popped right out of the soil. The little seed was no longer just an apple seed. It was now on its way to becoming a tree. It began to grow. Think if I grow just a little taller, I will be higher than the grass. So the little seedling sprouted tiny little roots and sent them reaching deep down into the soil looking for food and water. Then it stretched up tall, higher and higher than the grass. From its new view, the little seedling saw bushes all around.

If I grow a little taller, I can see over these bushes. Again, the seedling pressed its roots deep into the ground, spreading them out as they became larger and sturdier. Its shoots grew stronger too, and the seedling felt an exciting change about to happen. It was now a sapling and taller than the bushes. The sapling watched as the grown up trees all around the orchard began growing apples for the families who visited. When will I grow apples,

wondered the sapling. The wind blew a light breeze, swaying the sapling and whispering, when you are ready. First, you must grow big and strong. So the sapling continued to grow year in and year out, becoming stronger and wider. Branches appeared from its trunk and began to reach out towards the other trees. The sapling grew into a young tree, growing bright green leaves in the warm spring in summer air,

then dropping them all in the fall. Its branches rattled through the winter cold, but the young tree kept growing until finally it was as tall as its mama tree. Springtime came again, and this time, instead of just leaves, the little tree began sprouting flowers throughout its branches. Its time, whispered the wind as it brushed each white and pink flower. Little tree soaked up all the warm summer sun with its leaves, making food for the flowers to grow. The

little tree received its first visitors that summer. The buzz of the bumblebees vibrated through the air. Their quick wings tickled the little apple tree as they landed on the flowers, pollinating them so they could transform. The little apple tree thought it seemed like magic that its little bee visitors had the power to pollinate her flowers and change them into something else. Thank you, the little apple tree called out to the bees as they visited. They buzzed in response,

drinking the nectar from the flowers. The air began to cool. The flowers were growing heavy. All around the apple orchard. Flower petals were dropping from the branches of the trees. The wind swept them up and away, sending flower petals dancing through the air before floating back down to earth. Here they come, the wind whispered to the little apple tree as its first apples began to grow. The sweet

smell of fruit filled the air. As all of the blossoms in the orchard turned to apples, The little trees apples were red, just like Mahma's tree. A little tree was proud as it watched the apples on its branches grow bigger and rounder. This is hard work, thought the little apple tree. Is it strained to hold all of the heavy apples on its branches. The cold air of fall stayed all day and all night. It was now time for the families to return to the apple orchard.

A little tree waded in excitement all night, hoping that families would like its apples. The sun rose sleepily over the hills that morning, bringing with it the first wave of people. They filtered through the orchard, picking golden, delicious and granny smiths on their way over towards the red apple trees. Then the families all went to Mame tree first, picking her prized apples and putting them in their bags. A girl noticed the little apple tree. Wow, look at

these apples. She plucked two bright juicy ones from the little trees branches. She wiped one off a bit. The apple made a loud crunch, and the girls smiled. She tasted the sweet juicy apple that the little tree had grown. Wow. Well, my friends, I hope you all have a very great sleep and very sweet dreams. I'll see you next time. Friends. Good night,