Funny Tree

by John Köehler




God said, "Blow wind, blow through the trees and make a storm." So the wind blew and a storm came to the pine forest. The trees danced back and forth and bowed before the wind. Pine cones flew from the branches and exploded onto the ground like grenades.

The ground was soft and muddy from the rain, and some of the pine cones were welcomed by the sticky soil in a warm embrace, as if to say, "we have been waiting for you." The storm passed, the blue sky returned and the birds and animals of the forest came out to celebrate life once again. Snow came. Winter came. Ground slept.

Spring came and green sprouts rose from the ground, up and out of the cones that had fallen during the autumn storm. They grew up towards their parents, the giants who had given them birth. One sprout grew straight and proud, faster than the others.

"Look at my son," said tree father. "He grows straight and true. God must have great plans for him."

Another sprout was stepped on by a passing bear, and so it grew crooked before growing up again. It was ugly compared to the other straight sprouts reaching for heaven.

"And that one," said tree father. "He will never amount to anything. Better he should die now before he embarrasses the entire forest. Why didn't bear just eat him?"

"Shhhhh," soothed tree mother. "Look at the life in him. Bear foot would have killed most of our babies, but this child of ours is special. Wait and see, father. Wait and see."

And so they did wait and they did see, as the years passed and the sprouts became saplings. Straight tree brother continued to grow straight and true, looking ever upward towards his father towering above him. Crooked tree brother was still much shorter than his brother, his thin trunk growing horizontal to the ground then up and out.

"Ahhhh," said tree father. "Our crooked son looks like a snake. What good will come of him, mother?"

Tree mother swayed in the wind and watched her special son far below. She watched the animals of the forest playing among the trees.

"Look how bird and squirrel play on his crooked body!" she said. "Isn't that useful, father?"

"Perhaps," said tree father. "But more useful to be straight and true like straight tree son. Watch that one, mother. He will amount to something great. Watch him."

And they did watch him and his brother for many years, until people came to the forest. They cut down the straight trees to build houses and walls. But they didn't cut crooked tree brother, for they saw no use in him. Nor did they cut down straight tree brother, but marked him with rope.

"We will save this one for a war canoe," said the chief to his men. "It is proud and true and God has blessed it with power. Let no one harm it until it is time."

Some children raced by and jumped onto crooked tree. They crawled out onto its crooked body and bounced up and down together, laughing like blue jays, as crooked tree gave them a ride like a horse that will never run.

"That tree has no use," said the chief. "Let us cut it down and burn it, for God must have made a mistake with this one."

"Do not cut down this tree," said the chief's wife. "Look at the children play on it. Perhaps that was what our father God - he who does not make mistakes - intended all along. It is no good for your war canoe, but it is good for them. Do not cut it down, father. I think God likes this tree."

So crooked tree was not cut down, and was left to grow sideways and then up. The children played on him and hung clothes from him to make their pretend houses. He became the center of their life and when they were near it their imagination never failed to amuse them. They called him Funny Tree and loved him and put their marks upon him.

They fought their play skirmishes near him and began romances in his shadow. They felt safe near him, felt larger than the small lives they lived in their village. Funny Tree was their tree and soon the village knew the tree had special powers and that power must come from God father that made them all.

The day came when straight tree brother was cut down and burned and carved until a war canoe was born. They launched him into the river and tree father proudly watched as the warriors paddled off in the remains of his son.

"Did I not tell you that our straight son would be useful?" asked tree father that day.

"He is most useful and has given up his life for this honor," said tree mother. "But there below us is crooked son, still alive and useful. They call him Funny Tree. They love him because he is special and protects them. Didn't I tell you he would be useful one day?"

Tree father did not answer, but looked down and watched his sons as the wind continued to blow.