the small boy. Love between big and small is possible if the big does not know that it is big. The tree did not know that it was big man. For love there is nobody big or small; it embraces whoever comes near.

So the tree developed a love for this small boy who used to come and play near it. The branches were high but it bent and bowed them for the child so that he may pluck flowers, he may get fruits. Love is ever ready to bow, ego is never ready to bend. The playful child comes, the tree bows its branches. The tree is very much pleased when the child plucks some flowers. Its entire being is filled with the joy of love.

The boy grew up. Sometimes he slept on the lap of the tree, sometimes he ate fruits or sometimes he wore a crown of the flowers of the tree and acted like a jungle king . One becomes a king whenever there are flowers of love. To see the boy wear crown and dance about filled the tree with thrill, with joy. It nodded in love, it sang with breeze... The boy grew up more. He began climbing the tree to swing on the branches. The tree felt very happy when the boy rested on its branches.

With the passage of time the boy was burdened to perform other duties. Ambition also comes. He had friends to chat with and wander with, so he did not came often but the tree anxiously waited for him to come. Its soul gave out calls," Come, come! I am waiting for you. " Love waits day and night; and awaiting is there in it. The tree felt sad when he did not come. Love is sad when it cannot share.

With the growth, the boy's coming to the tree became less and less frequent. The boy was now engrossed in worldly affairs. One day, while he was passing by, the tree said to him: "Listen, I await you but you do not come."

The boy asked, "What have you got? Why should I come? Have you got money ? I am in search of money." The startled tree said:'' You will come only if I gave something? That which withholds is no love. Ego amasses but love gives unconditionally. We haven't got that sickness and because of its' absence we are so joyful, flowers bloom on us, many fruits grow on us , soothing shade we can give. We dance with the breeze and we sing many songs. Innocent birds hop on our branches and chirp because we have no money. The day we get involved in money we will have to go to temples like weak, freak men and listen how to obtain peace, how to get love. No, we do not have money. "The boy said, "Then why should I come to you? I will have to go where money is. I need money. "Ego asks for money because it needs power. The tree thought for a while and said: "Well dear, you do nothing. Pluck my fruits and sell them. You will get money." The boy lighted up. He climbed and plucked all the fruit: even unripe ones were shaken down. The tree felt happy even though some twigs and branches were broken.

Then for many days the boy did not come back because he had money and was busy making more money from that money. He had forgot all about the tree. Years passed. The tree was sad. It yearned for the return of the boy... like a mother whose breasts are filled with milk but whose son is lost. Her whole being is craving for the boy, is madly searching the boy so that he may come and lighten her. Such was the inner cry of that tree.

After many years, when the boy, who was an adult now, came to the tree, the tree said: "Come my boy. Come embrace me" The boy said: "Leave the sentimentalism. That was a matter of childhood. I am not a child any more "Ego takes love as madness, a childish fantasy. The tree invited: "Come, swing on my branches dance, play with me."The man said,"I have no time for play. Can you give me a house?"

The tree exclaimed: "A house? ...I stay without a house." Men stay in houses. Nobody else stays in house except man. And, do you notice his condition because of the confinement in four walls? Bigger the building is being made, smaller the man is becoming. The tree said," We do not stay in houses. But you can cut and take away my branches, then you may be able to build a house. " Without wasting time the man brought an axe and severed all the branches of the tree. The tree was a bare trunk now, denuded. But love cares not for such things, even if its limbs are severed for the loved ones. It's waiting ever ready to give for love. The boy forgot to thank the tree. He built his house.. And the days flew into years.

The trunk waited and waited. The wind blew but it couldn't give message. It couldn't speak but its soul resounded with one prayer only: "Come, come my dear. Come" But nothing happened. The time passed and the boy was an old man now. He was once passing by and he came and stood by the tree. The tree asked: 'What else can I do for you? You have come after a very long time.' The man said: 'What else can you do? I want to go to distant land to earn money. I need a boat to travel.' The tree said cheerfully . ''That is no problem, my love. "Cut my back and make a boat out of it." I would be very glad to assist you to far away lands to earn money.-- But, Please, remember, I would be awaiting for your return soon'.

The man brought a saw cut the tree, made a boat, and went away. Now the tree was a small stump. Which was once a vast tree is now waiting for his loved one to come back. It is waiting and waiting and waiting. The man will not return because ego goes only where it has something to gain. The tree has now nothing, absolutely nothing to offer. Ego does not go where it has nothing to gain. Ego, an eternal beggar, has a continuous demand, and love is charity. It is a king. An emperor! Is there any greater king than love?