Haba un gran rbol con ramas que sobresalan haca afuera.

Cada rama estaba cubierta de hojas y cada grupo de hojas estaba conectado a un firme tallo pequeo. A su vez, los tallos tenan en la punta una vivaz y pequea cereza.
Once there stood a large tree with branches that reached up and out. Each branch of this tree was covered in leaves, and connected to each cluster of leaves was a sturdy little stem, and each stem had a sprightly little cherry on the end of it.

Sin embargo, si uno fuera un ave que pasara volando y mirara a todas las cerezas del rbol, ni siquiera se dara cuenta de que eran cerezas. Sabes por qu? El color de una cereza madura es de un rojo intenso, pero estas cerezas apenas comenzaban a crecer y eran muy pequeas y verdes. Haba una cereza en particular que se llamaba Paco. Paco de un verde brillante y tena un pequeo tallo fresco. Le gustaba ondularse en el viento y jugar con sus amigos. But if you were a bird flying by, and you looked at the tree, you wouldnt have known that this was a cherry tree. Do you know why? Well, the color of a ripe cherry is a rich, deep red, but these cherries were just starting to grow, and they were tiny and green. There was one little cherry on this great big tree that well call Poe. Poe was a bright green cherry and had a fresh little stem. He liked to sway in the wind, and play with his other little cherry friends.

Cierto da Paco se puso a observar a sus amigos. Todos estaban volvindose rojos. Todos se estaban convirtiendo en jugosas, brillantes y maduras cerezas. Sin embargo, Paco segua verde y pequeo! Paco se preocup. -Ay!, qu har? -se lament. One sunny day, Poe looked in surprise at some of his friends. They had begun to turn red. They were all turning into juicy, bright, ripe cherries. But Poe was still green and little! Poe was worried. What should I do? he cried.

Entonces una mariposa se pos sobre la rama donde estaba Paco. -Hola -lo salud la mariposa. -Por qu ests tan desanimado? -Es que -respondi Paco- fjate en todos mis amigos. Todos parecen estar madurando y volvindose rojos. Pero an estoy verde y duro. Nunca ser una cereza bonita, brillante y roja.

A beautiful butterfly perched on Poes branch. Hello, the butterfly said. Why are you so glum? Well, Poe replied, My friends are all getting red and ripe. But Im still hard and green. I might never turn into a nice, bright, red cherry.

La mariposa sonri. -Sabes -le cont-, no debes preocuparte. Vuelo por todo el rbol y las veo a todas las cerezas. Muchas estn rojas, pero hay muchas otras que todava estn verdes. Y sabes una cosa? -Qu? -pregunt Paco. Llegar el da en que antes que te des cuenta estars rojo. Slo tienes que tener paciencia! -Paciencia? -repiti Paco-. Qu es eso? -Paciencia -le explic la mariposa- significa esperar. Hay veces en que uno quiere algo y lo quiere enseguida. Pero no sucede as. Entonces uno tiene que esperar. The butterfly smiled. Dont worry, she said. I have flown around this whole tree, and while a lot of the cherries have turned red, there are many others that are still green. But do you know what? What? Poe asked. One day, before you know it, youll turn into a great big, ripe, beautiful cherry. You just have to have a little patience! Patience? Poe echoed. Whats that? Well, said the butterfly, patience means waiting. Sometimes theres something that you really want, and you wish it would happen right away. But it doesnt. And so you have to wait.

El secreto es hacer algo mientras uno espera! Divirtete mientras eres una pequea cereza verde! Divirtete balancendote en el viento! Divirtete jugando a las escondidas con tus amigas las hojas. Y antes que te des cuenta, te convertirs en lo que ests destinado a ser. -Est bien, -dijo Paco-. Lo voy a intentar! La mariposa se despidi y se alej volando. The secret is to do something else while youre waiting. For now, For now, why dont you have fun being a little green cherry? Have fun swinging and waving in the wind! Have fun playing hide and seek with your friends, the leaves. And before you know it, you will be just what youre meant to be. All right, Poe said. Ill give it a try! The butterfly said farewell and then fluttered away.

Pasaron los das y cierto da la mariposa pasaba por el rbol de cerezas. Se pos en la misma rama donde haba conocido a Paco. Y adivinen qu fue lo que vio? Una cereza grande, redonda y roja! -Mrate! -lo salud encantada la mariposa-. -Lo s! -reconoci Paco luciendo una gran sonrisa de cereza-. Estoy muy contento de que me hayas animado. Pensaba que nunca iba a madurar. Pero tuve paciencia y casi sin darme cuenta me volv de color rojo! La mariposa solo sonri. - Saba que iba a ser! Several days later, the butterfly was flying by the cherry tree again. She fluttered to the same branch where she had first seen Poe. And guess what she saw? A great big, round, red cherry! Look at you! the butterfly said in delight. I know! Poe said, with a huge cherry smile. Im so glad that you encouraged me. I thought I would never ripen. But I did my best to be patient, and before I knew it, I was red! The butterfly smiled, I knew you would be!

Tree - rbol Branches ramas Leaves hojas Cluster grupo Stem tallo Cherry cereza Ripe madura Butterfly - mariposa Wind viento Patience - paciencia Visite www.freekidstories.org para ver mas cuentos bilinges para nios.
Author unknown. Illustrations by Alvi. Design by Christia Copeland Originally published by My Wonder Studio. Copyright 2011 by The Family International