Once upon a time, there was a skilled carpenter named Master Shi. He was known far and wide for making the most beautiful things from wood.
One day, while walking through the forest, he came upon a giant oak tree. The tree was magnificent, tall, and broad. Its branches reached up high into the sky, and its roots delved deep into the earth. But Master Shi was surprised to see such a large tree standing untouched in a place where many trees had been cut down.
"This tree is too big," he said to himself. "Its wood would be difficult to work with, and it would make poor lumber. That's why no one has bothered to cut it down."
So, Master Shi decided to move on and left the tree standing alone in the forest.
That night, Master Shi had a dream. In his dream, the oak tree spoke to him. It said, "You compare me with those useful trees, but their usefulness is their downfall. Because their wood is good for making things, they are cut down before they can grow old. But because I am considered useless, I am allowed to live a long and peaceful life."
When Master Shi woke up, he thought about the dream and the words of the tree. He realized that what he had considered a flaw was actually the tree's strength. Being "useless" was what allowed the tree to live its full life, reaching high into the sky, sheltering animals, and standing majestic and beautiful in the forest. He understood then that every creature or thing, in its own way, has its purpose and value. And sometimes, what seems like a weakness can actually be a strength.
Once upon a groove in the woods—think of it as the VIP lounge for trees—lived a carpenter named Master Shi. He wasn't just any carpenter, oh no! He was the da Vinci of woodwork, the Shakespeare of sawdust!
Now, Master Shi was hiking through the forest one day, tool belt jingling like a rock band of hammers and nails. He was singing a jaunty tune, perhaps about the joys of whittling, when his eyes caught something massive—a skyscraper of a tree, an oak tree so tall it could high-five the clouds.
"Holy timber!" exclaimed Master Shi. "You're a big one, aren't ya?"
The oak was an OG of the forest; its branches were the penthouses for birds, and its roots were like the underground subway for worms.
"Ah," said Master Shi, scratching his head, "you're like the puzzle no one can solve at the Sunday family game night. Too big, too cumbersome; you'd be a nightmare in the woodworking shop! You'd break my saw, jam my chisel, and let's not even talk about splinters!"
And so, Master Shi did an about-face, mumbled something about having 'other logs to saw', and went on his merry way, leaving the tree to its solo gig in the forest.
That night, after a hearty dinner of mashed potatoes that could make even a lumberjack blush, Master Shi found himself in Dreamland. And guess who showed up? The giant oak tree, now somehow animated and talking, because, you know, it's Dreamland—anything goes!
"Oi, Master Shi!" the oak tree greeted in a voice that sounded like it ate gravel for breakfast. "You called me useless, eh? Well, let me tell you something: Being 'useless' is my superpower! It's like my backstage pass to eternal forest life."
"You see, my mates—the birch, the maple, the pine—they're all busy being 'useful,' getting themselves turned into park benches and rocking chairs. And what's their reward? The great big chainsaw in the sky! But me? I'm free to grow as tall as I like, host as many squirrels as I want, and belt out oxygen like it’s a hit single!"
Master Shi sat up in his dream, eyebrows higher than a woodpecker in flight. "Well, I’ll be! Never looked at it that way! You're the tree that broke the mold, you are. Like a tree-version of a rockstar! Who knew being 'useless' could be so… awesome?"
With a wink, the oak tree faded away, and Master Shi woke up. As he sipped his morning cup of tea, he thought about his wild dream. He realized that the oak tree had a point sharper than his best chisel. Being “useless” was the tree's golden ticket to a life full of sky-reaching, animal-sheltering, and simply being majestic. It wasn't a flaw; it was the tree's jam.
And as Master Shi went about his day, cutting and carving and creating, he couldn't help but hum a new tune—a song about how even the 'useless' have their own kind of groove, their own beat in the great big dance of life.
In a forest where the trees did play,
Master Shi walked one bright sunny day.
He was known far, both wide and near,
For crafting wood, with love and care.
He spotted an oak, so tall and grand,
Its branches spread wide, its roots in the sand.
Around it, tree stumps lay all around,
Yet this giant oak was still safe and sound.
"Why's it still here?" Master Shi mused,
"Too big to cut, its wood not used."
He shrugged and continued on his way,
Leaving the oak for another day.
But that very night, in his dreams so deep,
The oak tree whispered, causing Shi to leap.
"You see," said the tree, "I stand so tall,
For being 'useless' saved me from the fall."
"Trees that are used, they're taken away,
But me being 'useless', lets me stay.
Though I don't become a chair or a door,
I shelter creatures, and so much more."
Awakening with dawn’s first light,
Master Shi pondered the dream of the night.
Realizing now, as he began to see,
Every being has a purpose, just like the tree.
Sometimes what seems weak or out of place,
Is a hidden strength, a saving grace.
For in every creature, big or small,
There's a value and purpose, in them all.
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