The Long & Short Of Life

The Long
&
Short of Life
​

A new banana sapling was planted in a garden. There was already a coconut tree near it. The banana tree asked Tennankanru ( sapling of coconut tree) , "How many years have you been here?"

Tennankanru said, "One year".

"You say a year, but you're only a little taller than I? Is there something wrong with you?" He laughed as if he had told a great joke.

Tennankanru smiled as if he didn't hear it. Every day the growth of the banana tree grew bigger. Within two months it had grown taller than Tennankanru (T) . The taunting and sarcasm of the T was day by day was only increasing.
Tennankanru smiled as always without temptation. Within a year of planting banana, it has grown twice as tall as coconut tree. It never fails to make fun of and laugh at the coconut every day.

"Doesn't God like only you? You're not allowed to grow above one level! I am also in the same soil where you are. I also get the same nutrition you get. But look, how only I have grown. It's like that's what you were destined for." There was no response from Tennankanru except a smile.

A little more time passed. A beautiful flower emerged from it. It became beautiful in flower and fruit. Its pride is even greater. Day and night spent laughing at the shorty dwarfy coconut tree. Good height.
Banana was proud of its Beautiful unsplit leaves, majestic bush. The pride of the banana tree was only growing up day by day.

Now the pods are ripe. A man came to the garden. He went around the banana tree happily. He tapped the bananas. Didn't even look back at the coconut tree.

What more pride than this? Before the pride of the banana tree could be subdued, suddenly a new man came with a knife. The first man cut off its stalks to hold it.

The banana tree screamed. All its glory has disappeared. It was gripped with fear of approaching death.

As it feared, the next thing happened. Yes. The banana tree was uprooted -cut down.

The year-long game has come to an end. Cut into pieces and skinned. The coconut tree was still smiling as before. Now the banana tree on it's way to heaven understood coconut tree's smile meant.
.
How many moral stories like this we read & hear every day? It looks what grows fast, disappears fast. Look at the huge divine trees like neem & peel.

(Adapted &Translated from tamil)