Shel Silverstein
The Giving Tree or
What's with the B?
[NOTE: During my sophomore year at SVA, one of my assignments was to create a fully functional typeface (check out the Design section: Assenfiet Grotesk) and then use it to re-design/re-illustrate an existing book. I chose my favorite children's book, The Giving Tree. Then, about a year later, as an homage to the book, the typeface, and, most importantly, my mother (who has been my tree incarnate), I had the final image, the Old Man B on the stump of what was once a capital letter T, permanently inked into my right shoulder blade.]
The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein
Once there was a tree and she loved a little boy.
And every day the boy would come
and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches
and eat apples.
And they would play hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was tired he would sleep in her shade.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by
and the boy grew older
and the tree was often left alone.
And then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said "Come boy, come,
climb up my trunk and swing from my branches,
and eat apples, and play in my shade."
"I'm too big to climb and play," said the boy,
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money. Can you give me
some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money.
I have only leave and apple.
But take my apples, boy, and sell them
in the city. And then you'll have money.
And you'll be happy."
And so the boy gathered up her apples
and carried them away
and the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time
and the tree was sad.
And then one day the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy
and she said "Come boy, come,
climb up my trunk and swing from my branches
and have fun."
"I'm too busy to climb trees," said the boy,
"I need a house to keep me warm,
I want a wife and I want children,
so I need a house. Can you give me
a house?"
"I have no house" said the tree.
"The forest is my house.
But you may cut off my branches
and build a house."
And so the boy cut off her branches
and carried them away to build his house.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long, long time
and when he came back the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
"Come boy," she whispered, "Come and play,
and have fun again."
"I'm too old and sad to play," said the boy.
"Life is not fun. I want a boat that will take me far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?"
"I have no boat," said the tree,
"But you can cut down my trunk
and make a boat.
Then you can sail away
and be happy."
And so the boy cut down her trunk
and he made a boat
and sailed away.
And the tree was happy.
And after a long time, the boy came back again.
"I'm sorry boy," said the tree, "I have nothing left to give you.
my apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak for apples now," said the boy.
"My branches are gone too," said the tree, "You cannot swing on them."
"I'm too old to swing on branches," said the boy.
"Even my trunk is gone," said the tree, "you cannot climb."
"I'm too tired to climb," said the boy.
"I'm sorry," sighed the tree, "I wish that I could give you something,
but I have nothing left, I'm just an old stump. I'm sorry."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy,
"Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,
"Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come boy,
come sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.