The Promise of Men and Trees

By Caleb Melton

There once was a small village with an ancient forest next to it. The village consisted of four men, all of whom were different.

The first man was John, a sturdy young man with long brown hair that fell to his shoulders. He had deep brown eyes, and his face sported a well-groomed beard, making him look ruggedly handsome. John was a natural-born leader who always had the heart to do what was right, so he strived to keep the peace within the village.

The next man was Samuel (though he preferred to go by Sam). He was John’s younger brother, with brown hair and hazel-colored eyes. His smooth, clean-shaven face and well-kept appearance made him look like a prince (and he knew it). Sam always held to his convictions and defended them wholeheartedly. When it came to his relationship with his brother, he was fiercely loyal and a humble friend in times of need.

The third man was Robby. He was a rather lean individual with auburn hair, stormy blue eyes, and a narrow face. He kept to himself for the most part, mostly because deep down he was unable to form his own opinions and just followed whatever the most popular consensus was.

The last man was Nathan. He was the oldest and roughest-looking of all the men, with messy black hair, green eyes, and a scarred face. He was the most stubborn and ruthless of all and cared about nothing other than himself.

These men all lived together in the village, but they did not always get along.

Nathan always loved to make it a point to bully John and Sam, tearing them down with his words, insulting their character for no good reason, and always trying to make their lives miserable for his own amusement. Robby, not wanting to fall under the same wrath, would often side with Nathan in the abuse and join in with the insults. John and Sam, however, stood their ground against their persecutors, always striving to respond with kindness rather than retaliation.

One day, early in the morning, all of the men decided to head into the woods to hunt game. They grabbed their packs and left the village. Hours passed without any sign of animals, and the men grew tired and hungry. Around midday, as the sun reached its highest point, they gave up and began heading home—when they came upon a small hut with smoke curling from its chimney.

The men approached the hut together, but Nathan ran ahead, pounding on the door and demanding to be let in. An old man came to the door and kindly invited them inside. As he prepared a meal and gave them something to drink, he asked who they were and where they were headed.

Nathan rudely replied,
"It's none of your business, old man!"

John spoke up:
"We are men from a small village not too far from here, but we were roaming these woods in search of some game."

Nathan immediately started cursing at John:
"You idiot, why would you tell him that?!"

"Yeah, why would you tell him that, idiot..." chimed in Robby.

Growing angry at the insults toward his brother, Sam gritted his teeth:
"If you knew what was good for you, you both would shut your mouths!"

Before any further argument could break out, the old man interrupted:
"Men, please… be at peace with one another. I have something of the utmost importance to tell you about these woods."

The men begrudgingly settled down and listened.

"In the center of these woods, you will find very special trees, unlike any other you have seen. They are alive with souls just like yours, and I have given them something very special. Around the head of each tree is a golden crown, marking them as my own. It is a promise between me and them, and it cannot be removed or taken away. It is the mark of royalty, and you men must respect it at all costs."

The old man paused to let his words sink in.

The men pondered what he could mean, having never heard of trees like this before, when the old man continued:

"These trees are beautiful beyond measure and have precious little treasure chests within their roots. The chests are filled with rubies, diamonds, sapphires, gold, emeralds, and every other treasure you can imagine. However, my sons, listen carefully: I planted, grew, and nurtured these trees since they were seedlings. Your heart will desire to enjoy this treasure, but to do so, you must give your heart to one tree and one tree only. You must love her forever and promise to stand by her side all your life. When you present your heart, it will attach forever… If you do not follow my counsel, your heart will suffer consequences. It will break, and you will live a sad and lonely life, ending in death..."

As the old man finished speaking, Nathan laughed:

"You crazy old fool! You’ve lost it! There’s no such thing as beautiful trees, promises, or treasure chests. You’ve done nothing but waste our time. Come on, men, we are leaving!"

He gestured for the others to follow, but only Robby got up. John and Sam remained seated.

Noticing this, Nathan yelled:
"What on earth do you think you’re doing? I told you to get up; we are leaving!"

John, calm and firm, replied:
"This old man has shown us nothing but kindness and hospitality. I believe he speaks the truth, and you and Robby should learn to show some respect."

Sam added sarcastically:
"I know you men are animals, but at least show a little courtesy."

Fire filled Nathan’s eyes:
"You both are freaks! If you want to stay here and be filled with this old man’s crap, be my guest!"

He stormed off and shouted at Robby to follow.

Robby hesitated, looked at the old man, and then back at Nathan. Sadness in his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil, but after a moment, he lowered his head and followed Nathan out the door.

John and Sam apologized to the old man and expressed gratitude. The old man nodded and asked why they stayed. They replied:
"We believe in what you say and want to give our word that we will do as you have asked."

The old man smiled:
"You are wise, my sons, and for that, I want to give you something."

He walked to a shelf, picked up two small chests, and gave one to each brother. John and Sam looked at each other, then back at the old man:
"What is this?"

"It is a 'promise' for each of you, like the one I mentioned with the trees, but these are for you alone. It will serve as a reminder on your journey. When the time is right, you will know when to open it. Keep it safe and guard it with your life. Others will try to steal it, but the more you defend it, the more valuable it becomes."

The old man gestured for them to come outside.

"There is a path that leads straight to the center of the woods. Stay on it, and you will be kept safe. Help keep each other strong, for when you are alone, that’s when you’re most vulnerable."

The brothers placed the chests in their packs. Sam glanced back at the cottage and noticed two more boxes sitting on the shelf, and asked:
"Were those for Nathan and Robby?"

The old man replied somberly:
"Yes... and someday they may want them, but for now, they remain with me."

The brothers thanked him and set out toward the center of the woods.

Within a matter of hours, they had arrived at the outer section of the woods and found it full of the trees the old man had talked about. The brothers continued walking along the path in awe of their majesty. They saw the crowns of each tree they passed by and even began to notice the treasure chests that lay amidst their roots.

As they walked along, they soon came upon a pine tree off the side of the path. To the brothers' surprise, the pine tree called out to them flirtatiously.

"Ah… men from the village, come unto me and gaze at my treasure, for it is open and yours, if only you give me your heart."

John fell for her seductive words and became infatuated with the pine tree. As he began to walk off the path, he pulled out his heart and held it in his hands in front of him, getting closer and closer to the tree.

"She must be the one…!"

John thought to himself in a trance.
"I am ready to give her my all."

Just as his heart touched the pine tree’s roots, Sam cried,

"Brother! What are you doing? Were we not supposed to stay on the path? Or do you not remember what the old man said?"

In his fugue state, John had not even realized how far he had strayed off the path.

"Will you give your heart over to this tree so quickly?" Sam continued.
"Can’t you see that she holds no regard for herself or her treasure? Do not so freely give away the heart and promise that you have been entrusted with."

(2 Samuel 24:22-24)

John quickly snapped out of his trance and pulled his heart back, but as he did, a small piece of it broke off and stayed with the tree. Horrified, he stumbled backward into his brother's arms and began crying.

"What have I done?!" he screamed.

He put his heart back in his chest and immediately lunged forward to start clawing at the piece that remained on the pine tree's roots. Try as he might, he could not get it to come off, and the pine tree began laughing at him.

"You could have had it all," she said, still laughing.
"But you let your foolish brother ruin it for you!"

"Enough of your torture, foul tree!" Sam retorted.
"You have deceived my brother and caused him great pain. For that, you must pay!"

Sam pulled a hatchet out of his pack and started toward the tree, but John grabbed him.

"Sam! Stop!" John had regained his composure and said,
"I fell for this tree's lies, but she is still under the protection of the old man. No harm must come to her. Look at her crown."

Sam looked up and saw the golden crown wrapped around the top of the tree and let out an exasperated sigh.
"You are right, brother, though my fury remains, I must not harm this tree, for she is still royalty…"

The men then heard what sounded like sniffling, so they turned around and saw the pine tree crying.

"No one has ever shown me kindness like you men have… especially after I deceived you. I had forgotten about my crown and the promise the old man gave me, but you have reminded me of who I am. I am truly sorry for what I have done and want to change my ways. Will you forgive me?"

"I forgive you," John said.
"But allow me the opportunity to apologize, for a piece of my heart is now with you, and it will stay with you for the rest of your days. I gave you something I was not ready to give, and I ask for your forgiveness in return."

The pine tree obliged and accepted his apology.

Sam then nodded his head toward the path, indicating that it was time to move on. The pine tree thanked the men again, and they started down the path once more.

Word of the brothers’ deeds spread through the trees, and up ahead, a cedar tree (who was much more wicked and cunning than the pine tree) was beginning to devise a plan to steal the brothers' hearts.

When the brothers arrived at the cedar tree, she called out to them,

"Men from the village, I heard you were coming. Please come and sit with me a little while and let us enjoy each other's company."

This time, it was Sam who was intrigued by the tree's beckoning and saw no danger in her words. Stepping off the path, he settled beside the cedar, and as he edged closer, the roots began to stir—slowly opening to reveal her hidden treasure chest.

Seeing this, John reached his arm out and grabbed his brother. Narrowing his eyes, he said,
"I see through the lies of this tree. She’ll slowly draw you in as you learn to trust her—then steal your heart right out from under you. I beg of you, brother, don't make the same mistake I did. Let us move on before you give up on your promise."

Sam replied in frustration,
"Why must you intrude on my enjoyment, brother? Can't you see that I don’t want to leave! I see nothing wrong in just sitting next to her, and you shouldn't either…"

John hung his head in silence. He would always be there to guide his brother, but the choices were not his to make. Seeing his brother look so distraught, Sam knew deep down that he was wrong and said,

"Forgive me, brother, you’ve never lied to me before. This time, you were right—and I was the fool. Thank you for saving me. Let us move on from this tree."

The cedar tree cried out desperately, trying to get the brothers to stay, but the brothers ran away as quickly as they could.

(Genesis 39:12)

As the brothers continued their journey along the road into the woods, they encountered many different trees that wished to steal their hearts and make them give up on their promise, but they helped hold each other strong.

The days slowly passed by, and the men would camp night after night in those woods. But after a while, the will to uphold their promises quietly began to fade. The constant temptation of the trees made their promises feel burdensome.

"I cannot bear to hold onto this promise any longer!" John said.

"I just don't see the point of it anymore... what's to stop me from giving my promise to the next tree I see?" said Sam.

As they began contemplating giving up, they heard a voice from behind them say,

"Giving up so soon?"

The brothers turned around, and to their surprise, they saw the old man standing behind them.

John said,
"Yes, old man, we are not strong enough to continue… for we’ve had to face many trees along this road, but we cannot continue any further."

The old man gave a gentle smile and said,
"You were not alone, my sons, for I have been walking behind you this whole time. Come… let us sit and rest for a while."

So, they sat on the side of the road, and the old man asked to see the promises he had given them. The brothers then pulled out their small chests and gave them to the old man.

Looking at them, he said,
"Ah, yes, I can see that you are quite weary from your journey, but fear not, for I have come to encourage you. Do not give in to temptation, my sons. Draw from the strength I give you now. For the time is coming when you will finally enter the center of the wood and meet the special tree I have planted for you."

With these words of encouragement from the old man, the brothers picked themselves up, thanked him, and continued on their way with renewed strength.

Now, by this time, Nathan and Robby had already gone through the outer section of the woods and realized that what the old man had said about the trees was true. However, as they had not received a promise from the old man, nor taken any heed to his advice, they robbed every tree they came by. They gave their hearts willingly to these trees, but would break them off and run as soon as they took all the treasure. Their lust only grew deeper and deeper for the treasure, but it was never enough. Greed overtook their minds, and they continued their rampage until one day they came to the center of the woods.

The path continued through a luscious, green meadow, where flowers of all colors had bloomed and bees lazily buzzed around them. In the middle of the meadow stood an oak tree. It was the tallest and most beautiful tree in the entire woods, and its treasure had remained untouched. As Nathan and Robby walked up to it, they saw the crown that adorned her like a princess. It sparkled in the sunlight, radiating pure elegance.

The men had never seen a tree like this before and were surprised by its beauty. However, their awe and wonder soon faded as greed returned, and though they searched among the roots for her treasure chest, they could not find it.

"Maybe she's hiding it?" whispered Robby.

"Shut up, idiot, of course she is hiding it," quipped Nathan in response.

Nathan knew this was no ordinary tree, and he would not be able to take its treasure as easily as the other ones. He thought for a moment about what to do, and then an idea came to him.

"I'm going to win her over with my words, and when she reveals her chest, I will rush in and take everything," Nathan thought to himself.

He turned to Robby and whispered,
"Follow my lead."

The men walked up to the oak tree and bowed before her. Nathan spread his hands out and said,
"Oh beautiful oak… You are the most magnificent tree of all the woods, truly, none can compare to your beauty."

The oak had never seen or talked to men before, so she was intrigued.

Robby followed Nathan’s example and said,
"Uhh… Ye-Ye-yeah Oak tree, you are the prettiest thing I have ever laid eyes upon, please show us your treasure."

Nathan hit Robby on the back of the head and scolded him.

"O’ magnificent oak, my apologies for my dumb acquaintance; he is a simpleton who knows not how to talk to beautiful trees such as yourself."

The oak let out a soft chuckle, and Nathan gave a sly smile. He knew he had the oak right where he wanted her, so he continued with a lie.

"We are but poor men who live in a village far away. We set out into these woods after a tale that speaks of great treasure beneath the roots of a majestic oak tree. Now that we have found you, if you would but humbly gift us one gem from your chest, we would be eternally grateful…"

The oak tree nervously swayed its branches from side to side and said,
"I can share my treasure with you, but you must give me your promise in return."

Nathan was taken aback by this, for no other tree had required a promise from him, but he maintained his composure and softly said,
"I give my promise to you, oak."

The conversation went silent as both Nathan and the tree waited for the other to present their gift.

After a few moments had passed, the oak spoke up and said,
"Well… are you going to present your promise to me?"

Nathan did not understand what the oak tree meant, as he had abruptly left the old man's cottage before he could receive a promise, but he was quick-witted and replied to the oak,
"I give you my word and my heart now, and will present to you my promise after you give me a piece of your treasure."

He stepped forward, placed his heart upon the roots of the tree, and bowed once more. Robby followed suit and placed his heart down on the tree as well.

The oak, going against her better judgment, finally agreed and moved her roots to expose the treasure chest. As soon as she opened it, the greedy men immediately rushed forward and grabbed every piece of treasure they could.

The oak tree was frozen with fear and shock, and all she could do was watch helplessly as they took everything from her. When the last piece of treasure was gone, the men took their hearts back from the oak, but as they ripped them from her roots, large pieces broke off and stuck to her as they quickly ran away. Within the blink of an eye, the men were gone, and the oak tree had lost everything.

There are no words to describe the depth of sorrow the oak tree felt, for without her treasure, she felt like she had lost everything, and her worth was now nothing. She began to cry, and soon her tears began to overflow, turning what was once a pleasant and peaceful meadow into a muddy pit around her. She accepted her fate and knew that she belonged there; no one would ever want her now.

———

As the evening hours passed and the sun came up the next day, John and Sam woke up to the sound of chirping birds. They were exhausted from their travels, but John sat up from the forest floor they had been sleeping on and stretched his arms out. He looked over at Sam as his brother lifted his head… only to then promptly lie back down.

"Come on, sleepy head! I think we finally made it to the center of the woods," John said.

"Hooray…" Sam sluggishly replied.

John looked around the area and saw an opening through the trees.

"I think there is a meadow over there. I'm going to go check it out."

John picked up his pack and started walking away from his brother.

Sam just rolled over and said,
"I'll be there in a moment… just give me a few minutes to rest my eyes…"

As John approached the meadow, the sound of quiet sobs reached his ears, and he hurried toward them. As he walked through the meadow, his eyes fell upon the oak tree. In an instant, he was captivated by her beauty, and his heart longed for her.

The oak had not seen him yet, for her tears had clouded her vision, and she was in too much anguish to notice anything. But as John walked up to her, his feet sank into the mud that surrounded her. The squelching from his boots got the tree’s attention, and she quickly turned away from him.

John, still captivated by her, was trying to work up the courage to say something when the oak suddenly said,
"Leave this place at once. I have nothing for you."

John felt a sting in his chest and was taken aback by the harsh words. Not wanting to give up on the opportunity to talk to her, he somehow worked up the nerve to say,
"Oak, if I may inquire from you, why does such a beautiful tree weep as you do?"

Still turned away from John and blinded by her tears, the oak curtly replied,
"It is none of your concern. You should leave me and move on from here."

John took this in stride and was determined not to give up on the tree.
"Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude upon your weeping," he said. "My name is John, and if you will allow me, I would like to wipe away your tears… may I?"

"This 'John' creature must be trustworthy if he is showing me this much kindness," the oak thought to herself.

She cautiously nodded and allowed John to wipe the tears from her eyes. As she opened them, she yelped in surprise, startling John in the process.

"I'm sorry if I have offended you, my dear lady!" John exclaimed.

"No! Not at all, I just was not expecting someone so… handsome," the oak said.
(Nathan and Robby were the only two men she had seen before, and she did not find them attractive at all in comparison to this new man that stood before her.)

John couldn't help but blush at the oak tree's compliment, but seeing it as an opportunity to confess his own feelings, he boldly said,
"Oak, I know this is rather forward, but I have fallen in love with you, and I know that I want to be with you."

The oak instantly felt like rejoicing and confessing her love for him as well, but then she remembered the men who had taken all of her treasure, and her momentary happiness was turned back into sorrow.

"I am sorry, but I cannot let you love me. You are the most handsome man I have ever laid eyes upon, but I will never be worthy of your love. Please, as much as it hurts me to say, you must move on and find another tree that can give you what you deserve."

Confusion and hurt filled John's heart.
"Why would you say such a thing, o' beautiful oak tree?" he asked.

Staring into John’s deep brown eyes, the oak felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame. Here before her stood a man who could love her like no one else, but she had nothing left to give him. This was her punishment for her foolishness… this was her judgment.

"I must tell him… It’s the only way to set him free," the oak thought to herself.

"I have lost all the treasure and riches inside my chest," she said to John.
"I let two men deceive me into taking a fake promise… and now I have nothing left to give you…"

As soon as the oak’s words sank in, John felt like he had been punched in the gut, and all the wind had been knocked out of him. In a moment, everything he had hoped for came crashing down. All the temptation he had endured, the victories and failures he had gone through on his long, long journey here… only to reach the end and find that the treasure had been stolen from out beneath him.

His deep hurt soon turned into anger as he looked down and saw the pieces of heart on the roots of the oak tree. At that moment, he realized who had taken the treasure from the oak: Nathan and Robby. They were the only ones who could be so twisted and evil. They were the only ones that could take so much from a tree so beautiful and so pure…

John then started to blame himself.
"If only I had stopped them back at the old man's cottage, then this oak tree would still have her treasure… or maybe if I were faster getting here…"

He continued this thought until he worked himself up into a rage, and not knowing what else to do, he let out a roar of anger.

At the sound of John’s yelling, Sam, who had fallen fast asleep nearby, woke and quickly ran up to ask what was going on. As John explained everything, Sam pulled his brother aside and said in a quiet voice,
"I am sorry, but this tree is a lost cause, brother. Let us continue onward to find one that still has her treasure."

The words cut John to the bone, but he knew deep down what he had to do. With hot tears in his eyes, he said,
"No, brother… I don’t know why or how, but I know in my heart that this is the tree I was meant to give my promise to. I know it might not seem like much, and there are probably other trees out there that still have their treasure, but I choose to share my promise with this tree that I love."

Looking into his brother’s eyes, Sam knew John had made up his mind and that he was going to have to continue on the journey alone. With tears in his eyes, he embraced his brother, kissed him goodbye, and wished him well on his new journey. With that, he continued down the path and left John alone with the oak tree.

John turned toward the oak, a tender smile upon his face and tears lingering in his eyes. Looking up at her, he said,
"Oak… I know this may sound crazy, but I want to give you my full commitment to stand by and love you forever."

The oak cried out,
"No! Don’t do that! Didn’t you hear me? I have nothing left to give you!"

John simply replied,
"Oak, I give you my heart and my promise."

He then took his heart out and said,
"I know it got some bumps and bruises, cuts and scrapes, and even a few broken pieces… but it is still mine to give you."

He placed his heart down onto the roots of the tree, and it bonded to her permanently.

Reaching down, he took the small chest from his pack and slowly opened it. Inside was a flawless silver ring—the symbol of his promise, a promise that John had not understood until this point.

He set it inside the oak’s treasure chest and closed it. The oak began to cry again, for she felt ashamed that John had given her his whole heart and placed his promise ring in her treasure chest. She couldn’t believe that someone would give her something so special, especially when she felt like she didn't deserve it.

John looked up at the tree and told her that all he could see was how beautiful and pure she was. To him, she was still a princess, royalty above all else.

As they both broke down and embraced one another, the treasure chest started to make a noise. John looked down and went to open it, when all of a sudden, the chest flew open and began overflowing with treasure.

"How did this happen?" the oak said through happy tears.

Scratching his head, John paused in thought, recalling the old man’s words and the promise of a reward.

"It must be from both of our promises," John said.
"Your crown and my ring together must be worth far more than any reward we could have imagined."

John and the oak tree embraced once more, their hearts filled with joy and excitement.

As they were celebrating, they heard the sound of someone clapping. When they turned to see who it was, a voice said,
"Well done, my boy."

They saw the old man standing in the road, a warm and welcoming smile upon his face.

"I am proud of you, John, for standing strong and giving your promise to the tree I planted for you. Though your heart suffered the consequences of your past actions, nothing could ever take away from the promise I gave you. What you have witnessed on this day is indeed the reward I spoke of earlier, and now you will enjoy it to the end of your days."

The old man then turned to the oak tree.
"To you, my precious little oak tree, my heart hurt for you when you lost your treasure. It was not wise to go against your better judgment, but know that I love you and nothing could ever change that. Your value is not in what you have lost, but through the promise I gave you—the very crown that adorns your head."

The old man pointed to the oak tree's crown.
"Now, I leave you both with my blessing and bid you a good life together. The journey to find one another may have ended here, but the journey of your new life has just begun… farewell, my children."

As the old man finished speaking, he disappeared, and John and the oak were left alone to enjoy each other's company for the rest of their lives.

The legend of the woods says that John and the oak tree lived the rest of their lives committed to loving one another, and they remained that way until the day they both grew old and passed on to the next life.

———

Now, as for the rest of the men, Sam had continued on the path in search of his own tree, but Nathan and Robby had gone ahead of him once again. There was no end to their trickery of trees nor stealing of their treasures, but each time they did it, they left behind pieces of their twisted hearts. Their journey continued until they arrived at a wise maple tree, one that had been forewarned of these evil men. She guarded her treasure with care, her branches proudly revealing the crown atop her head.

As Nathan and Robby found their way to the maple tree, they said,
"Look here, another tree ripe for the taking."

Nathan walked up to the maple with full confidence and said,
"Come, heed my words, o' beautiful maple tree. Allow your humble servant to give his heart to you and a promise to stand by your side in return for the treasures that lie in your chest."

But the maple knew better than to be deceived by these sly-tongued snakes of men, and in curt response, she said,
"Rid yourselves of me, foul beasts. I know the tricks you play to steal my treasure. I assure you, you will receive nothing from me."

Startled by her words, Robby nervously turned to Nathan and said they should move on. However, Nathan stood unfazed by the maple tree’s bold rebuke and told Robby to run away if he wanted to. Robby stood there and said nothing more.

Nathan turned back to the maple tree, his charming personality gone.
"I have not been refused before, maple tree… You would be wise to give up this foolishness and show me your treasure."

The maple stood her ground and remained silent.

This made Nathan's blood boil, and he shouted,
"Fine! If you will not give me your treasure willingly, then I will take it by force!"

He then pulled an axe out of his pack and rushed forward to pry open the wooden chest that lay hidden amongst her roots.

In terror, the maple tree cried out,
"Help! Help! Someone, please help!"

As the words left her mouth, the old man sprang forth out of nowhere and tackled Nathan off her. He quickly got up and stood protectively on her roots, gazing in fierce anger at Nathan.

"What are you doing here, old man? Can’t you see that this tree is mine!?" Nathan said.

But the old man just glared at him and said,
"Yours, you say!? Are you the one who planted and nurtured this tree since she was a seedling!? Or protected her from evil men like yourself when she cries out? No, this tree is not yours, nor will any tree be until you rid yourself of your tainted and evil heart. You have chosen nothing but death and destruction, but I offer you the chance to change and be made whole again."

Hearing this, Robby, who had been watching the whole situation unfold, stepped forward and said,
"I… want to change," he said, quivering.

Nathan glared at him with fire in his eyes and said,
"What do you mean you want to change!? Can’t you see that this old man is insane! If you side with him, I will end you!"

"You’ll do no such thing!" the old man said to Nathan.
"You have no authority here; this is my domain."

Nathan looked into the old man’s eyes, and for the first time in his life, fear filled his soul. He knew that the old man held immense power that could stop him if he tried anything, so he decided to keep quiet.

The old man turned back to Robby and softened his expression.
"Come to me, my son. Let me look at your heart."

Robby put his head down and shamefully walked over to the old man and offered him what was left of his heart. As the old man held it gently in his hands, he said,
"Ah, yes, this heart is very damaged, but nothing is too far gone in my eyes."

The old man then ran his fingers over the heart, and it began to heal. The places where it had been torn and ripped apart began to fill back in, making it whole again. Though the scars of former wounds remained, it had been made whole again—stronger than before. The old man then said a blessing over the heart and handed it back to Robby.

Robby then broke down and began sobbing at the old man’s feet, telling him how sorry he was for his sins and the way he had been treating all the trees. The old man knelt and picked Robby up.
"My son, you have been reborn today. I see the goodness in your heart, and I always will. Go on from this place a changed man and never look back."

The old man then handed him a small chest.

"What’s this?" Robby asked.

"It is called a promise. It is what I tried to give both of you when you visited my home. It is very special and must be well guarded. When the time comes, you will give it to a tree I planted for you. Go now and continue your journey into the woods; you will find her soon enough."

Robby, standing with renewed confidence, thanked the old man a hundred times over and promised that he would do all that the old man had asked. He took one last look at Nathan and this time didn’t feel the fear he normally did… but rather pity for the poor man. He turned and went on his way, never to return to the old life that he had lived.

When Robby had gone, the old man looked at Nathan and said,
"You have seen what I did for Robby. Will you allow me to do the same for you?"

Nathan felt a mix of emotions. When he saw Robby turn from his ways and receive a new heart from the old man, he felt guilty for his own actions—something he had never felt before. Part of him wanted to be made new, but the other part of him was too prideful to give up the life he had lived for so long. After a moment of reflection, he could not find it within himself to change. He gripped his heart in his hands and felt it harden like a stone.

"I will never let you change me, old fool… I would rather die than let you touch my heart."

Nathan expected the old man to fight back, but instead, he only looked down, sorrow in his eyes.

“Then death you shall find,” the old man said.

The forest went quiet as neither man spoke for some time. Nathan eventually turned his back on the old man and wandered off into the forest, never to be seen by another man again. The trees of the forest say that he continued in his ways of deceiving and stealing, but eventually, his heart dwindled to nothing, and he died alone on the forest floor.

When Nathan had left, the old man turned to the maple tree and said,
"Hear me, o' precious daughter, you are blessed for not giving in to these evil men and protecting the treasure I have given you. Continue to seek my strength in times like these, and remember the deep roots within you. A man is coming who will not only share your treasure but add to it, but you must be patient."

After he had finished talking, the old man took his leave and bid the maple tree farewell. As time passed, the maple waited patiently for the old man's words to come true and stood strong in His promise.

———

 It was not many days afterward that Sam came walking up the path and happened upon the maple tree. At the sight of her, his heart dropped at her beauty.

The maple, seeing Sam, also became infatuated and said to herself,
"Could this be the man I have been waiting for?"

Sam walked up to her and said,
"I know you don't know me, o' graceful maple, but I think you are the most beautiful and magnificent tree in these entire woods."

The maple tree couldn't help but blush, causing her leaves to turn bright red.
"And you, kind gentleman, are the most handsome man I have ever seen," she said in response.

Hearing that the maple tree found him good-looking, Sam gained the courage to say,
"I believe that you are the one I have saved my heart for."

He then took his heart out and got down on one knee in front of her.
"If you will receive this heart of mine, dear maple tree, then I promise to stand by your side and love you forever."

At this, the maple exclaimed,
"Receive you? I have waited for you all my life! Yes, of course I will receive you, and I am so happy that you have finally found me!"

Sam and the maple tree then both began crying tears of joy, and he gave her his heart. It bonded with her roots, and the maple tree revealed her treasure chest.

Sam then reached into his pack and pulled out the small chest the old man had given him, and opened it up. Inside was the same flawless silver ring as John's (though Sam didn’t know that, as he had left before seeing his brother’s promise). He took it out and placed the ring on top of the maple tree's treasure. Within a moment, the treasure began to overflow, and they embraced one another with love.

Sam and the maple tree ended up living a long and bountiful life, enjoying each other's company for the rest of their days.

———

As the sun cast an orange glow across the sky, the old man sat in his rocking chair on the front porch of his little hut. He gazed out over the great big forest and thought to himself,

"It is time to begin again… I will create new men out of the earth’s clay who will live in the village and one day come searching for the center of the woods. I have planted new trees for them, with promises and treasures to protect, but as for now, I rest in the work I have done."

He paused, watching the light dance through the treetops, and whispered,

"Tomorrow, my love will remain, and all things will be made new, for this is my promise…
The promise of men and trees”.

The End