Part 4

Maria began to cry tears of joy.
“You love me, even though I took the apple from you which I was not meant to do. So I am not cursed, and for my fault I will not bear great misfortune?”
The tree answered, “Do you not feel fortunate that we talk now as we do? Maria, you could take five apples from my branches and my love for you would remain the same. If you took ten apples from my branches I would love you just the same. If you cut off my branches and leave me naked as a trunk with my beauty and dignity stripped away, my love for you will remain the same. If you uprooted me and threw me into the sea and left me to float across oceans for all eternity, child, I will always love you.”

Maria, mesmerised by the great love and tenderness of the apple tree replied in a soft and reassuring voice, “Dear tree, I had none of these things in mind.”
“I know,” answered the tree.
“You are happier today for having met me.”
“Yes,” said Maria, “much happier.”

She knelt down upon the ground before the tree.
“Now, Maria,” the tree said kindly, “Are you comfortable?”
“Yes, dear tree…What should I call you?”
“Dear Tree….I like it…you can call me that,” the tree answered knowingly.
“Okay!” Maria replied gleefully.
“Now dear child,” opened the Tree, “It is true, is it not, that you took the apple from my branch. What would the village people say if they knew you had done that?”

Maria paused for a moment before answering the Tree, “Dear Tree, the people of the village would think very badly of me indeed! For legend says that whoever eats the apples of your tree will have great shame and misfortune and…”
The Tree interrupted. “That is what they say. You are correct. Now child, it is very important that I tell you these words and that you remember them.”
“Okay,” Maria answered attentively…

From that day forward, Maria would often go and see the Tree, though she would never tell her father, and never take any more of the delicious apples from the tree. For the friendship and love that blossomed between the two of them grew to such an extent, that she no longer looked at the rosy red apples that hung on the Tree, but just listened attentively to the sound of his voice, which filled her heart with happiness and peace. When Maria was happy, she would go to the Tree and tell him all about it and he would rejoice with her. If she felt sad about something she would go to the tree and tell him all about that too, and he would draw one of his branches down upon her head, and wipe away her tears with his soft leaves.

One day in early September, the Tree spoke once more to Maria.
“Maria,” he said. “My heart is deeply troubled.”
“My dear Tree, what is wrong?” Maria replied, concerned and taken aback.
“I know that you love me, and you know that I love you with an endless love. I want you to know that I will not always be here and soon I shall have to go away. But whatever happens to me, I will always love you, and I will always be here for you, no matter what. And I want you to know that when I am gone, though you shall not see me as you do now, you can still speak to me just as you and I are speaking now.”
Maria started to cry and said in a sobbing voice, “My dear Tree, what are you talking about, there is no way that you will ever go! I will see no harm comes to you!”

The Tree felt her pain and sorrow and at that moment and he brought forth one of his branches down to her head and gathered her towards his rugged trunk. She wept against the trunk and each tear that she cried for the love of her tree dribbled down the bark until they finally reached the earth. But the roots of the Great Tree soaked up her tears from the earth until they were no more, for the Tree knew all things that were to pass.

The months passed through to winter, and even then she would leave the house when her father went out and go and see the Tree. Until one day, something terrible happened.

One evening in December her father went to the local club to meet some friends to play chess as he did every Thursday. But this time he returned earlier than Maria had expected and when he arrived back home he called for her in the house. “Maria! I’m home! Maria!” But Maria was outside with the Tree and when her father got to the kitchen window he looked out and could see Maria hugging the Tree.

He ran out into the garden, screaming and shouting, “Maria! What are you doing?! Get away from there! I told you a million times not to go near that tree! Get away! It’s cursed!”

“No, Daddy! No! It isn’t, you’re wrong about the Tree! You were all wrong about it! The Tree is gentle and kind to me, he loves me and takes care of me!” Maria started to sob.

“Oh no! Maria did you take an apple from the tree!? Did you disobey me and do the one thing I always warned you not to do?! Did you?! Answer me!” her father shouted at her.

“Yes, father I did…but it’s okay, honestly, the Tree is my friend, and he could be your friend too if you wanted, if you could see it as it is! He loves you too! He told me so! It’s just that he knew you would not believe in him.”

At that moment her father struck her across the face. “Mad child!”
She turned away for a moment and then stared back at him and saw that he was angry, angrier than she had ever seen him before. She was full of dread and feared for the safety of the tree.

Her father looked back at her with malice and shouted, with a shriek, “Now go to your room!” She did as she was told and ran upstairs and cried in her bed, all alone, and with nobody to turn to for help.

Her father was left in the kitchen on his own. But he was not concerned for his daughter’s feelings and muttered under his breath, “That accursed tree! Never mind about the curse! What will the townsfolk say of me now, if they should find out she touched it?!”