The Tree

It all started with the birth of a small puppy. He was born on the outskirts of a small town. All he had seen when he opened his small eyes is the big tree that laid in front of him. He thought about how beautiful the tree looked, also saw the fruit hanging from the tree. He could see a bird nest on the tree and could hear them chirping away.

As he grew up into a dog, his favorite pastime was always playing fetch by the tree, which he knew now that the fruits the tree grew was a pear. He had even tasted the fruit from the tree. He also had developed an unusual attachment to the birds residing on the tree. They would chirp away while he played with other dogs and when he would take a nap under the tree after a tiring game of fetch.

One day when the weather was harsh, the winds were blowing and it was noticeable that the leaves, fruit and even the bird nest were struggling to stay on the tree. The dog could not go outside to the tree in this weather to help but it did not stop him from looking at the tree from the window and wishing his friends were not harmed.

When the weather had calmed down and the dog was allowed outside again, the first thing he did was go and check on his friends from the tree. He reached there to see that the nest was completely demolished because of the wind and his bird friends were nowhere to be found. This was devastating for the dog. Over the next week, he kept going back to the pear tree to see if his friends had returned but he always went home sad.

Over the next few months it had been decided that the town will cut the pear tree down. When the dog visited the tree next, he saw the tree was being teared down and he cried a loud cry that made everyone stop in their tracks. He ran to the bottom of the tree and just laid there. In his own way he was trying to protect the home of his friends. The owner explained to the workers how the tree held a very special meaning to the dog since the day he was born.

While the story was being shared, the most amazing thing happened. The birds were returning to their home. They flew to the tree and looked down at the dog as a sign of gratitude. This amazed everyone who was there. Another remarkable thing that happened was that all of the dog friends of the dog had come to sit beside him in support.

As the workers and other human beings were unable to make the dogs and the birds move away from the tree, they figured they will not cut the tree down that day. Everyone started to disperse and the owner of the dog had been so supportive of what his dog had accomplished that he wanted to help as well.

"We will save this tree" was what the owner said to his dog and all the other dogs and birds that were present at the tree. Even if they could not understand what he said, he somehow knew that they understood the feeling and the sentiment behind his words. Moreover, they also succeeded in saving the tree.

As days became months and months became years, the dog had gotten older with time. He still made the time to go to the tree and play or nap under it. The birds were always with him as well. It was a very unusual friendship that is not seen normally. The dog had been a witness of baby birds hatching from their eggs, learning how to fly, getting food for the family and everything else in between.

There was a small funeral for the dog by the pear tree when he passed away. It was so surreal that all the birds had lined up on the branches of the pear tree sad for him but also happy that he was at peace. He had helped save their home and had been a friend to all of them from time to time. As the sun was setting all that you could see was the tombstone for the dog, his owner by his side and a pear tree filled with birds in its branches.