2-HIKOYA
THE TRAVELERS AND THE PLANE TREE
Two men were walking along one summer day. Soon it became too hot to go
any further and, seeing
a large plane tree nearby, they threw themselves on the
ground to rest in its shade.
Gazing up into the branches one man said to the other: “What a useless tree this is. It
does not have fruit or nuts that we can eat and we cannot even use its wood for
anything.”
“Don’t be so ungrateful,” rustled the tree in reply. “I am being extremely useful to
you
at this very moment, shielding you from the hot sun. And you call me a good-
for-nothing!”
