Once there lived a large grandmother cedar tree called Seedla. She was tall and strong, but she was sad and lonely. The Sky God felt sorry for Seedla. He told the warm and gentle South Wind to plant a baby cedar tree next to the grandmother tree. Seedla was overjoyed and she adopted the baby cedar tree as her grandson. As the little tree grew, he sprouted fresh, tender branches. Soon animals came to nibble on them, and the little tree struggled to grow bigger. So Seedla moved her long, old branches back and forth to scare the animals away. And the little tree began to grow taller and stronger.
Sometimes when cold and wintry North Wind blew extra hard, the little tree felt that its branches would bend and break. So Seedla put her long strong arms around her grandson to protect him from the North Wind. Then the little tree grew some more. Sometimes the sun was so strong that it scorched the little tree. So Seedla raised her branches high enough to shade her grandson. And the little tree kept growing.
In time, Seedla's granson became tall and straight. Many seasons passed. Grandmother Seedla became old and tired, Her grandson, who was now large and strong, felt her sorrow. "Grandmother, remember when the animals nibbled on me, how you moved your strong branches to protect me?" he said to her. " Well, I have long arms now. I will move them back and forth to scare the animals away as you did."
And Grandmother, do you not remember when I was small and thin, and the North Wind blew so strongly that I thought I would break, how you put your arms around me to keep me from breaking? My arms are strong now and I can keep you from bending and breaking.
And Grandmother, remember when the sun-scorched my branches, you lifted your branches high to shade me? Well, now I can lift my strong arms to shade you.
As you took care of me, now I will take care of you "
The grandmother tree smiled gratefully at her grandson, and the two stood side by side for many more seasons to come.
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