Environmental Education · Holidays: Arbor Day · Earth Day · Trees
First-School.ws
Aesop's Fable: The Travellers and the Plane Tree
Read, print and discuss the fable. Prints well in portrait and landscape mode. View in projectable and printable PDF format. Review the complementary activities below the fable.
The Travellers and the Plane Tree
One hot afternoon, two friends were walking along a dusty road. The sun was bright and strong, and they felt very tired. “Let’s find some shade,” said one. Soon, they spotted a big tree with wide branches and lots of leaves. They sat down beneath it, feeling cool and happy.
“This tree is nice,” said one friend, lying back.“But it’s kind of useless,” said the other. “It doesn’t give us fruit. It just drops leaves everywhere!”
Suddenly, a gentle voice came from the tree. “You’re resting in my shade,” said the tree kindly, “and still you say I’m no good? Sometimes, the best gifts are the ones people forget to thank.”
The two friends looked at each other. They felt quiet and thoughtful. From that day on, they remembered to be grateful—even for the quiet, gentle things.
Sometimes the most helpful things are the ones we forget to appreciate.
COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES:
Visit related TREES theme lesson plans, printable activities and crafts for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary grades.
