1. The Banyan Tree
A traditional story from India

2. Far away in India there was a huge forest
Far away in India there was a huge forest. There were many trees in the forest. The biggest of them all was a banyan tree.
The banyan tree was home for many creatures. At the roots of the tree lived a family of mice. Beetles scrambled up and down the trunk. In the branches lived a band of monkeys. They swung from branch to branch. Some birds lived high among the top branches. Some bees lived in a hole in the trunk. They loved to taste the sweet flowers that grew among the leaves.
One day a man came into the forest. He was a woodcutter. He was carrying an axe. He was looking for a large tree to chop down. He wandered around in that huge forest until he came to the banyan tree.
“What a huge tree!” he exclaimed.” “ I can chop down this tree and sell the wood. Then I’ll make a lot of money for myself.”
The man rolled up his sleeves and got ready to chop the tree.

3. When the animals saw the man getting ready to chop down the tree, they became very frightened.
Four little mice came out to speak to the wood cutter.
“ Please don’t chop down our tree, “ they squeaked. “ The tree is our home. We live in the roots.”
The man looked at the mice. He laughed.
“Go and find another home”, he shouted. “ This tree is mine!”
Then some beetles crawled down the trunk to speak to the woodcutter.
“ Please don’t chop down our tree, “ they hissed. “ The tree is our home. We live on the trunk.”
The man looked at the beetles. He laughed.

4. Next the bees flew out of the hole in the trunk to speak to the woodcutter.
“ Please don’t chop down our tree, “ they buzzed. “ The tree is our home. We live in a hole in the trunk.
The man looked at the bees. He laughed.
“Go and find another home”, he shouted. “ This tree is mine!”
After that two monkeys clambered quickly down from the branches to speak to the woodcutter.
“ Please don’t chop down our tree, “ they cried .
“ The tree is our home. We live among the branches.”
The man looked at the monkeys. He laughed.

5. Finally, the birds flew quickly down from the branches to speak to the woodcutter.
“ Please don’t chop down our tree, “ they chattered.
“ The tree is our home. We live high up among the branches.”
The man looked at the birds. He didn’t laugh this time. This time his face grew really angry.
“Go away all of you NOW,” he screamed.
“Go and find another home. This tree is mine!”
He started to chase the creatures with his axe.

6. Now the animals got angry, really angry.
The mice ran out and bit the woodcutter’s toes.
“Ouch! “ shouted the wood cutter.. Stop that!”
The bees buzzed around his head and stung his face.
The beetles ran up his body and bit his arms.
The birds flew around his head and pulled his hair.
The monkeys picked up stones and threw them as hard as they could.
The wood cutter dropped his axe and ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. All the creatures cheered. They had saved their lovely home.
They all lived happily together in the banyan tree for the rest of their lives. And the woodcutter never came back for his axe.