The Woodcutter and the Coconut Tree

Bedtime Stories with Rajesh Rajoo | Season 1 | Episode 1

-------------------------------

Once upon a time, in a beautiful village there was a coconut tree.

It was the tallest coconut tree in the land with a long, strong, brown trunk and a beautiful crown of long, green leaves.

The leaves used to shine a bright dark green in the morning sunshine and covered big bunches of coconuts.

Everybody loved the coconut tree.

The squirrels loved to run up and down the trunk.

The monkeys loved climbing it and sitting on the crown.

The woodpecker loved to peck away at the wood.

The kingfisher, crows, sparrows and evening birds loved to sit under the leafy crown.

And the coconut tree loved all of this.

One evening a woodcutter came by and saw the tall, strong coconut tree.

He was carrying a big axe, to cut down trees.

"Mmmmm, I must cut this tree down" he said loudly, tapping the trunk of the tree.

"But it's evening now... I shall cut it tomorrow morning." Saying this he lay down under the coconut tree and fell asleep.

The evening birds heard what the woodcutter said and quickly told everyone else.

All the birds and animals were so worried and sad.

How could someone cut down the coconut tree. What were they to do now?

"I know," said the woodpecker. "We could hide the axe."

"Yes!" said the monkeys smiling. "We could all pull the axe away and hide it..."

So, all the birds and animals went over quietly to where the woodcutter was sleeping.

________________________

Also by Rajesh Rajoo - Adventures of Ella Elephant, Book 1 & Book 2.

Illustrations by Divyesh Swamikutty.

_____________________

They pulled the axe away slowly, without making any noise and dragged it far away from the woodcutter.

"Let's drop it in the well" said one of the monkeys and everybody said yes!

So, they all dragged the axe to the well and dropped it in happily.

“Hurray!”

The next morning the woodcutter woke up and searched everywhere for his axe. But he couldn't find it.

"I cannot cut down the tree without my axe... and I don't know where it is..." he said looking very unhappy.

He then looked up at the coconut tree sadly. "Bye tree, I am not going to cut you down," he said and went away.

All the birds and animals were very happy seeing this.

The squirrels and monkeys ran happily up and down the tree and all the birds flew about happily, circling the tree and chirping loudly.

They were all happy that they stood together and saved the coconut tree.

Seeing all this, the coconut tree was also very happy because he had so many friends who loved him and whom he loved too.

_______________

Bedtime Stories with Rajesh Rajoo