The Giving Tree ~ Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree
~ by Shel Silverstein

Once there was a tree….
and she loved a little boy.
And everyday 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 boy loved the tree….
very much.
And the tree was happy.

But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said, “Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my
branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy.”
“I am too big to climb and play” said the boy.
“I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money?”

“I’m sorry,” said the tree, “but I
have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in
the city. Then you will have money and
you will be happy.”
And so the boy climbed up the
tree and gathered 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, climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches and be happy.”
“I am too busy to climb trees,” said the boy.
“I want a house to keep me warm,” he said.
“I want a wife and I want children,
and 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. Then you will be happy.”
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 time.
And when he came back,
the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
“Come, Boy,” she whispered,
“come and play.”
“I am too old and sad to play,”
said the boy.
“I want a boat that will
take me far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?”

“Cut down my trunk
and make a boat,” said the tree.
“Then you can sail away…
and be happy.”
And so the boy cut down her trunk
and made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy
… but not really.

And after a long time
the boy came back again.
“I am sorry, Boy,”
said the tree,” but I have nothing
left to give you –
My apples are gone.”
“My teeth are too weak
for apples,” said the boy.
“My branches are gone,”
said the tree. “You
cannot swing on them – “
“I am too old to swing
on branches,” said the boy.
“My trunk is gone,” said the tree.
“You cannot climb – “

“I am too tired to climb” said the boy.
“I am sorry,” sighed the tree.
“I wish that I could give you something….
but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am 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, sit down. Sit down and rest.”
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.

Poem/Story by Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree (1964)

Get the Picture Book

What does it mean?

This story-poem is well-known to a generation that grew up with the picture book. I have heard young students tell this story to classmates on different occasions. The audience is always touched. The students hold deep empathy for the tree (and recognize where they have been the tree in their lives). However, many also recognize how they have been the boy in the story and enter a place of deep gratitude for the sacrifices of the giving tree. With strong themes not always seen in children’s literature, it was first rejected for publication. Today, it continues to be popular children’s bedtime reading.

About the Author

Shel Silverstein (1930 – 1999), was a beloved American writer, poet, cartoonist, and children’s author. In a 1975 interview, he describes how he developed his style. “When I was a kid – 12, 14, around there – I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit with the girls. But I couldn’t play ball, I couldn’t dance… So, I started to draw and to write. I was… lucky that I didn’t have anyone to copy, be impressed by. I had developed my own style…”

Entering the military and serving in Korea and Japan, he was already an exceptional cartoonist. He became a cartoonist for the Pacific edition of the military newspaper, Stars And Stripes. Later, he would be a regular cartoonist for Playboy magazine. He began to write and illustrate. He also composed many songs that others made famous, like Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue.”

How did he transition to writing for children? In that same 1975 interview, he says, “I never planned to write or draw for kids. It was Tomi Ungerer, a friend of mine, who insisted… practically dragged me, kicking and screaming, into [editor] Ursula Nordstrom’s office. And she convinced me that Tomi was right, I could do children’s books.” Along the way, he won many awards and his books remain popular today.

Shel Silverstein’s inspiring and accomplished life shows that how we get from here to there is rarely ever a straight line.