The Oak and The Dandelion
Ahon Ganguly
The young dandelion anxiously stared up at the great Oak tree who stood tall and strong, watching over the still forest.” Will I always be here?” the small flower asked, looking up to the Oak. “ No, young sapling, everyone has to die someday…”
The next day
The young dandelion curiously stared up at the great Oak tree, who stood proud over the joyous, bustling forest.
“What about you?” the sapling asked, intrigued. “Me? What do you mean?” The Oak seemed puzzled.
“Will you die as well?”
“Of course, I will!” The sapling seemed shocked at the tree’s answer. “Even if I don’t wilt normally, these two-legged creatures will chop me down!” The sapling gasped.
The tree continued, smiling, “I have been alive for few centuries, you know!”
The next day
The young dandelion miserably stared up at the great oak tree, who stood exhaustedly, watching over wet and damp forest. The mighty tree, spotted this, “ Why are you crying little one?”
“Because… we won’t always be here,” the sapling sniffled.
The great oak tree pondered for a while, then whispered, “Should I tell you a secret?”
The sapling nodded.
“Not all plants can do what dandelions can. Once they are nearing the end of their lives, all they need is one gust of wind… and their seeds will fly off… adventuring across the world! Then, they will fall into their favourite patch of grass, and before you can say daffodil, one dandelion’s seed will have grown into a whole meadow.”
Awe-struck, the young flower exclaimed, “Wow! That is so… cool!”
The Oak chuckled. “Take a good rest. Winter will come in few moons, and you will need lots of strength before then…”
One moon later
The old dandelion weakly stared up at the great oak tree, who watched over the bare forest, scared. The deafening noise rang through what was left of the trees. BANG! BOOM! Each tree came crashing down as the great Oak felt not so great anymore.
That day, it rained. It rained hard. It was as if the clouds were begging the two-legged creatures to stop.
The frail old dandelion looked up. “Oh, great oak tree, what is happening?”
“I….I don’t know…” The two-legged creature picked up the axe and swung it at the Oak.
The tree fell down… and down… and down… as it landed beside the dandelion.
The old dandelion stared at the oak tree, who was frail and weak. The oak did not dare cry, but the flower did. “Why are you crying my friend?” the oak whispered, croakily.
“I don’t want you to go…” the dandelion sniffled.
The oak still smiled, “Well then, we’ll go together. The storm is coming and when it does, I will let go and if you wish to, you can too. Spread your seeds and spread your story.”
“Will I remember you ?”
“If you wish…”
The wind came… and so… they let go.