Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and then write your own extended metaphor. Choose an object or event in nature that a child can relate to in order to illustrate an important or spiritual lesson.
Deep in the valley, there once ran a small stream. And this stream wove around the rocks of a towering mountain whose deep springs filled the stream full of the purest water.
Every day the little stream thanked the mountain for all he had given her and sang to him many joyful songs. The mountain loved the little stream dearly and always enjoyed listening to the little trickling drops of her praise.
Pouring his pure water into the stream, it wasn’t long before she grew into the biggest, deepest, and widest river there ever was. She spread down the mountain and throughout the land sharing her great gift.
Rumors of her size and greatness soon reached the villages of men and many traveled to see her. When they arrived and saw how lush and green the land was, they decided to build their homes next to her.
They came to her and exclaimed, “O river! You are so mighty and your currents are so strong, nothing can match your greatness!”
She drew her waters high until they splashed on the edges of her banks, delighted by the men’s words…
As the men worked hard to build their homes, they grew thirsty and went to the river. Once they drank their fill, they praised the river saying, “Oh you are so clear and clean! You have the sweetest water we’ve ever tasted! Nothing is as good as you are.”
The river thought of the saltiness of the ocean and the dirty waters of the nearby ponds and knew that she alone had the best water. She smiled and swirled along the banks…
Later on, the men started to plant their vegetable crops in the flat fields far from the river where their food could grow best. But soon the heat of the sun began to dry out the ground and the plants started to die. The men tried to carry buckets of water to the fields but they couldn’t bring enough to save the plants. Because they could not grow food while living so close to the river, the men started to talk about moving away.
The river overheard what the men were planning and panicked. She liked the men’s compliments and if they moved away, who else would like her? Thinking quickly, she tried to solve their problem.
Splitting a large part of herself, she stretched one half of her river all the way to their fields and gave enough water to all the crops. Though it was uncomfortable and she was a lot smaller, the crops grew high and that year held the best harvest the men ever had.
She sighed, looking at all that she had helped grow and beamed. But the men were so busy with their harvest that they had not even come to thank her. The sunlight sparkled through her and she danced for them, tossing her glittering waves back and forth to get their attention. Seeing the commotion, the men remembered the river.
“Oh thank you river! You are so helpful and generous,” they exclaimed from the bank. “No one else could give all that you share with us.”Content with their praise, the men returned to their houses and the river was happy… Sort of…
Days passed but the river never saw much of the men for they had everything that they wanted and were comfortable. Spring turned to summer and soon the heat scorched the land. One day the men came from their activities, sweating from the heat, and walked down to the river.
When she saw them she splashed against the shore with excitement and waited to hear what great things they had to say about her. They climbed up a large rock and dived off, plunging deep into her cool water.
“Ah that’s so nice,” they sighed in relief. “This water is just right to swim in but the current is so strong it’s hard to relax,” said one man, who happened to be rather fat. “And it’s such a long walk to get down here, he continued, with so many little rocks that hurt my feet. Wouldn’t it be much nicer to have a little pool area for the village?
The river wanted to please the men so, once again, she spit herself, stretching toward the village, and she made a large pool with a shallow end and a deep end. The men brought their families to play in the pool and laughed as they watched on the side. But not once did they thank the river for her gift nor did they come to visit her anymore for she had nothing left to give. She was split in too many directions but—- the rest is pending…..
MORAL: True joy does not come from the empty approval of man, but from praising God with our lives and actions.
Leahstps 