Children

---

THE THORNBUSH KING

Once upon a time, in a faraway magical land where only trees grew there lived a tree called the Thornbush. He was small and thorny yet had a special heart- one filled with love. Many trees did not like Thornbush because he had no fruits or flowers like the other trees. So thorn bush lived alone with no friends in a small house in the faraway magical tree land.
Then one day, the king of the tree land died. Everyone was sad because it was a week to the harvest festival and they now had no king to declare the festival open. So that morning, the old wise trees decided to have a meeting.
“Our king, Sir Cedar of Lebanon is dead!” The Oak, his right hand man said to the wise trees. There was a fresh breakout of tears at the words of the oak tree,
“He was a good King!”
“He had been sick and drying up for the past few months now it doesn’t come as a shock” some other trees reasoned. After a brief moment of initial emotional display, the Oak continued,
“Let’s take a few moment of silence.” The wise trees all rose and bowed their heads in silence. After a few seconds,
“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace” the Oak finished.
“Amen” everyone chorused.
“Well out of this tragedy I’m afraid a new day must dawn. It is only a few days to the harvest and as we all know we must have our king open the festival by presenting his first fruit before the Creator of All.” The Oak said without baiting an eyelid,
“We must choose a new king.” Gasps went out among the Wise trees.
“Shouldn’t we at least let the customary month of mourning end?” The berry tree said.
“We don’t have that luxury, because the harvest festival must be held in a week or it wouldn’t hold at all, the Judge of All said, remember?” the Oak clarified.
“We must choose the new king today then, so he would have enough time to prepare for the harvest festival then afterwards King Cedar’s mourning month would begin. There must not be any crying during the harvest festival.” The Oak finished.
The inner consul of tree gathered together to decide who would be the new king. After a few minutes they returned to the other trees with their decision.
“This is what we have decided” the palm tree announced turning to the Olive, “You would be our king; you have a great oil pleasing as the oil for the altar of the Creator of All. You are fit to be our king”
“What! No I can’t I have an assignment to pour before the Creator of All the oil from my fruits. I can’t leave my priestly duties just to be a king, waving back and forth among the trees” the Olive tree said.
The trees were not too pleased with the Olive’s response so they deliberated again for a while and came up with another option.
“Fig, you be our king. Your fruits are sweet and would be acceptable as a king’s fruit.” But again the fig complained
“No I can’t my fruit was made so everyone could eat it, not for a king, just the people. I love my job and I don’t want to be the king waving front and back among the trees.”
After days of calling on all highly qualified trees to be king and none were willing or available the Wise trees held another meeting.
“Let’s talk to the thorn bush” one tree suggested,
“No we can’t he’s good for nothing and unfit for a king.” Someone countered.
“Besides he is ugly and the only thing he has to offer is a branch full of thorns. That would do more harm than good” said another.
“The thorny tree can’t be our king it would be a slap on our faces we had better remain without a king” They concluded.
But after two more days no other tree was willing or available for the job of the king, the Olive finally called for the last meeting. Seeing they had no other choice the Wise trees finally decided to ask the thorn bush tree.
All along the thorn bush had watched quietly from a distance as the Old Wise trees talked to all other trees. Sometimes they had come close to his home to talk to a neighbor tree but never did they approach him. The thorn bush never really expected them to come but he hoped. He knew he could do the job well but the Wise trees would never approve because he was all thorny and had no fruits or oil that would be fitting for a king. He was upset that they used his external features to judge his ability and prayed he would one day have the opportunity to prove his worth.

His prayers were finally answered because on the last day before the festival the Wise trees still hadn’t gotten any tree that was willing to be the next king and the festival would have to be cancelled. They grudgingly came to the thorn bush’s house and banged loudly on his door.
“How may I help you?’ the thorn bush asked angrily as he opened the door.
“You would be our king!” the palm said in a commanding tone. For one brief moment the thorn bush felt elated he had finally been asked. Then it came to him in a flash the only reason these lofty trees had asked him was because they was no one else to take up the position and they were desperate. The thorn bush was angry at their deception and cruelty,
“Why have you finally come to me? Is it because all the other more qualified and dignified trees have turned down your offer? You never liked me or believed in me so now I turn down your offer too. I will not be king.” The thorn bush said and slammed the door in their faces as he went back to sleep.
And for the first time in the Magical tree land the harvest festival did not hold simply because the Wise Old Trees looked down on the great Thornbush tree.


Lesson:
How many times have you lost out on something really big because you overlooked a minor detail or you looked down on someone judging them based on the externals? Let this be a lesson to you the thorn bush next door maybe the best king you’d never have.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE