Page 23 - English Expedition Class 2

The tiny plant still looked
8
longingly towards the straight bark
of the bamboo. But at last she crept
over the grass to the old willow and

began to climb around its branches.
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Up, up, the slender vine climbed
to the very top of the tree. There it
grew so many lovely green shoots

that the people who passed by
stopped to enjoy its beauty.
When the early autumn days came,
large buds appeared on the vine. The

bamboo looked at the buds and said,
‘I wonder what those ugly things on
the vine are. Perhaps she has brought
some disease which may affect all

the trees of the country.’
The willow made no answer to the bamboo,
but in her kind way she whispered to the vine,
‘Do not feel hurt, I know what they are.’

There was a gentle rain that night and in the
morning the sun shone brightly in the clear
sky. The green buds which covered the vine
10
burst into beautiful, sweet-scented blossoms .
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From crown to foot the old willow tree
12
stood decked in glorious colours.
The owner of the plot called his friends to
see the wonder. They looked in amazement at

the richly coloured blossoms. Then the owner
called his workers and told them to clear the
space around the willow tree.
‘Cut down the bamboo tree so that we

may see the beauty of the vine.’
‘But it is a very fine bamboo tree,’ said the
head of the workers.

8 longingly: in a way that shows you really want something 11 crown: (here) head
9 slender: slim 12 decked: decorated
10 blossom: fl ower
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