The Growing Tree

The Growing Tree

Elise is a little girl. She is 6 years old and loves nature. In her yard is a big tree. One day, she decided to climb the tree.

Elise went outside and looked up at the big tree as it loomed above her. She was excited. It was so early in the morning, her mom and dad were still asleep. Elise rubbed the night away from her eyes and grabbed the lowest branch and started climbing. Elise climbed and climbed and climbed, for hours it seemed. The more she climbed, the more Elise thought about the tree. It wasn’t that big was it? It seemed like she was climbing forever! She looked down and couldn’t see the ground anymore! She started to get scared. She was really high!
Elise took a big breath and looked back up to continue climbing when she saw a blue bird.

“Why hello over there!” The blue bird shouted to her, waving a wing. The blue bird was holding a small bag full of worms. “You can talk?!” Elise asked the beautiful bird. “Of course I can! Would you like some fresh worms?” The bird chirped back. “Oh, no thank you! I must keep climbing!” Elise smiled and continued climbing up the tree. She wanted to reach the very top.
“It was nice talking to you!” The blue bird shouted after Elise. “You too!” Elise responded.

She continued to climb and continued to see even stranger things! On one branch which she rested on, Elise found a bunny wearing a top hat! He continued to shout nonsense and jump around so she left him alone.

As she climbed more, she missed home and the ground. She looked down and still saw nothing but tree. Little Elise sighed and kept climbing her big tree. She climbed higher before meeting a tall monkey wearing a bow tie enjoying some tea with an owl, a cardinal, and a hummingbird. She walked along the branch to the tea party and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Monkey. I think I’m lost in your tree.” The monkey looked up at Elise and howled. “A visitor!! Come! Have some tea!” it said. “No thanks, but I would like to go back home. Can one of you bring me back down to my home?” Elise asked. Cardinal croaked, “I can’t carry one as heavy as you!” Owl shook his head. “I’m sorry, deary, but I can’t help you either.” Owl had a fancy British accent. Elise looked to Monkey, who walked over to her. “Where is your home now?” Elise pointed below her. “There’s a house aaaaallllll the way down there, sir. I climbed up this tree and got myself lost.” Monkey nodded and grabbed Elise’s hand as he started swinging from branch to branch. “Just down there you said?” The little girl nodded and Monkey continued swinging around. Elise giggled, as the ride was fun. As they neared the ground the Monkey slowed down and gently eased the little girl to the ground. “Join us some time for tea if you’d like!” the Monkey said to her and started swinging back up the tree. Elise sat there amazed for a second before responding “I will!”

The little girl walked back up the porch and into her home. As soon as she stepped in, Elise smelled the familiar smell of bacon and eggs. Her mom was making breakfast in the kitchen.
Elise ran into the kitchen and hugged her mom, who was very surprised at the very sudden hug. “Why hello!” Elise’s mom said. She sounded like the blue bird! “Crazy morning?” Her mom flipped an egg and plopped it on a plate and slid it to Elise’s spot on the table. Elise sat down next to the warm breakfast and responded, “You wouldn’t imagine!” As she smiled and dug into the food.

To this day, Elise has never told anyone about the adventure in the tree and all the tea parties. She still continues to have tea parties with the silly Monkey and all the others in the tree.

The End