The Green Tree Village and the Hare

Once there was a lovely village that had a big, beautiful tree growing right in the middle of the
square. The branches of the tree were so broad that everyone in the village could stand under it
together if they wanted to and they sometimes did. This tree gave a marvelous fruit, unlike any other
fruit in the world. The people of the village enjoyed the fruit and it kept them very healthy and
happy.

The people of the village were very fair and just. They did not hurt or harm anyone; they would not
steal from anyone; and they were not greedy or lazy. However, the one thing that they would never
do was to give away anything to anyone for free. “Nothing for Nothing” was their motto and they
thought it very foolish and unwise to give away or share anything they had unless they were given
something in return. Beggars soon learned to avoid the village, knowing that they would receive no
food, clothing or shelter from the people. People from other villages would come to trade and sell
their wares, knowing that they would get a fair trade or price.

One day, a child wandered into the village, all alone. The village children looked at him in wonder,
for they were rosy-cheeked and well fed and cared for. This child was pale and thin with nothing but
rags full of holes to cover his body. Even though he looked starved and abandoned, he had the most
beautiful face that anyone had ever seen. He stopped at every door in the village and begged for a
bit of bread or a place to sleep but he was turned away again and again. The villagers thought it
foolish to give away anything, even to a child, because it might encourage other beggars to come to
their village. Not one door opened to let him in; he found not a crumb anywhere. Soon he passed
through the town gates and was gone. The children stared after him in wonder and love but no one
else thought about him again.

Soon afterwards, bad things began to happen. All the fruit on the big green tree began to rot and fall
off. Then the leaves began to wither and die; then the trunk. The day came when only a rotted log
of wood remained in the village square. After this, the crops began to wither and die and the farmers
could not save anything. The people had to eat the food they had put in storage. When that began to
run out, they took their gold and went to other villages to buy food. While all of this was happening,
they began to notice that no baby animals were being born. The hens stopped laying eggs and the
cows, sheep and goats stopped giving milk. One day, all of the animals disappeared. They had all
gone out of the town gates together before daybreak, to hide in the distant meadows and hills.

Little by little, the people of the village grew thinner. When their gold and jewels were all gone and
they had sold or traded everything of value, their clothes and houses began to look ragged and
shabby. Finally, when the food was all gone, they tried to beg from passers-by and at other villages.
But everyone said “Nothing for Nothing” to them. Many old people began to die of hunger and the
grown up people were too weak and ill to work anymore. The children were still and silent and many
began to grow ill.

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Now, there was one animal who had not deserted the village entirely. He was an old, wise hare who
had stayed to watch and see what was happening to the people. He found a few blades of grass to
nibble on and watched with his bright black eyes and listened with his long ears.

One morning, a girl of about seven years old came out and sat on her back doorstep, crying. Master
Hare noticed this and he crept closer to listen. He heard her pray to God, “Please dear God, don’t let
little Georgie die!” Master Hare knew the girl’s little brother, Georgie. Georgie was five years old
and Master Hare had often seen him playing with his sister in the meadow.

“Ah!” thought Master Hare, “So now the children are going to die of hunger. This is not good.” He
felt very sorry for the children and thought of a way that he might help.

He ran as swiftly as the wind to where he knew the other animals were living. He told them what he
had heard and seen and he begged them to take pity on the people and to come back to the village.

Now the animals had begun to have new babies again and the cows, sheep and goats had milk to
give, but they said to the hare, “We do not want to go back there. Those people were never grateful
for what we gave them. We gave and gave our milk and meat, our wool and hides but they never
once gave us their thanks or love in return. They never shared what we gave them with others. Why
should we go back to those ungrateful, selfish people?”

They all turned their backs on Master Hare. But Master Hare continued to speak to them about the
poor children until, at last, one of the hens began to feel sorry, too. She said, “ I used to live in
Georgie’s father’s barnyard. Georgie loved my chicks. I have some extra eggs here. If you can find
a way to carry them, you may take them to Georgie.”

So Master Hare thought. Then he raced back to the village. On everyone’s back doorstep there stood
empty market baskets, long unused and discarded. Some were broken and some had dirt in them. But
the one on Georgie’s back doorstep was still in good condition, though empty. Master Hare put his
head through the handle and raced back to the hen with it.

“That is fine,” said the hen, “but you had better fill it with something soft, so that the eggs don’t
break when you run.”

Now, the cows and sheep had become interested in what Master Hare was doing. One of the cows
helped to pull some long grass and put it in the basket. Master Hare placed the eggs in the basket and
one of the sheep let him take some of her wool to tuck in between the eggs to keep them from
cracking against each other.

Just as the dawn was breaking, Master Hare arrived again in the village with the heavy basket. He
went to Georgie’s house and put it down on the doorstep. Then he waited in the bushes to see what
would happen. In a little while the door opened and the sister came out. “Oh Mother!” she cried,
“Look! God has sent us eggs! Oh, I knew that he would not let Georgie die!”

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Radiant with joy, she carried the basket inside. The mother boiled some of the eggs and took them
to her little boy. Soon he was feeling better and stronger. Later, she carried him outside to sit in the
warm spring sunshine. Georgie looked around him and he spied the hare sitting under the bushes.
“Oh look!” he said, “Perhaps it was the hare who gave me the eggs. Thank you dear hare.” Then he
asked his sister, “Will you take the basket to the other houses and give some away?”

So the sister took the basket and went to find some more children who were too weak to get out of
bed. She gave away the rest of the eggs.

When Master Hare saw this, he raced away, back to the hills. He told the other animals all that he
had heard and seen. Then the animals listened to him and agreed to return to the village. When the
animals came back together through the town gates, a cry of wonder ran through the village. Then
someone started to sing a song of joy and thanks and soon, everyone was singing it too.

The cows, sheep and goats allowed themselves to be milked. The hens began to lay more eggs and
the sheep let themselves be sheared. Even the bees returned to their old hives and began to make
honey.

The people took the animals back to their old barns, sheds and coops and spoke to them lovingly and
gratefully. Soon everyone was stronger. Then flocks of birds flew in carrying seeds. The men and
women went back to the field and prepared the soil. The birds dropped the seeds into the furrows
and they sprouted quickly.

Most marvelous of all, a new shoot appeared from roots of the old dead tree in the village square.
It grew taller and taller and it put out new green leaves and white blossoms. Soon there would be
fruit again. When the fruit was ripe, the people held a great festival. They invited people from the
other villages and told them the story. They gave gifts to everyone. They thanked God and the kind
earth, the sun, wind and rain for bringing back the grains and fruits. They changed their town motto
to “All for All” and they became famous for helping the poor, sick and distressed people who came
their way.

The next Spring, all of the people took their market baskets and decorated them with flowers and
ribbons. They filled the baskets with colored eggs and honey cakes and set them on their doorsteps.
They asked Master Hare to bring his friends and relations - all the other hares and rabbits - to carry
the beautiful baskets to children and people in need everywhere. The hares and rabbits all agreed and
they have been doing so every year since, all around the world.

The Green Tree Village still prospers and its children are the happiest children in the world.

Christine Natale
2003 All Rights Reserved

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