KU UG SEM4 UNIT 3: The Ungrateful Man: A Conversation between Trees (prose)- SWATHI SHENOY

KAKATIYA UNIVERSITY, WARNAGAL

ENGLISH FOR EXCELLENCE

                                           UG CBCS SEMESTER-4 TEXTS 

UNIT 3: CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY

The Ungrateful Man: A Conversation between Trees (prose)- SWATHI SHENOY

About the  author:

Swathi Shenoy is a writer and poet whose works tend to focus on the environment education and women's rights.

 

 TEXT (LESSON)

The sky looked glum and the forest was quiet. The breeze was gentle, untouched by the grim moods of the trees in the forest. Some were tall and some short; some thin and some stout. Despite their difference in appearances, their mood was alike-black! They looked at the vast area in front of them, where something huge was being built. They had heard the humans refer to it as a 'mall. They had no idea what that was but they knew one thing: their peace was gone.

The trees started talking among themselves.

One of them said. "I hate these people. Since the day they came here, all the peace and serenity has vanished from this forest. We have to listen to these monstrous machines roar from morning to night. My cars are going deaf?

The other one wasn't indifferent to the feelings of its friend. 'I can't agree more, my dear friend! Even if I put up with the noise, this pollution, it is making me sick! it said.

Hearing this, something in his neighbour snapped. His temper flared. "There ungrateful people! All our lives we have served them. But what did they do to us? They have reduced most of our forests into barren land and are building houses on it. And we, the remaining trees, we are dying due to the pollution they cause! What will they achieve by killing us? They are destroying themselves! I wonder when they will realise their mistake!' it howled.

The tallest tree was quiet for a long moment. It appeared to be lost in thought. It stared into the field without looking at it and started talking. You know what, I miss my friends the trees that they cut-and also the animals that became homeless. I wonder where they are now, if I can ever see them again!" Saying that, it became silent again.

The trees were lost in thought. Just then, they saw a man from the construction site coming towards them. They stood still, holding their breath. He walked up to the tallest tree and started examining it. He circled it, looking more carefully, and then scribbled something on its trunk and repeated the same for the next tree. After doing that, he left. Both the trees sighed in relief.

That scared me," said one, and the other nodded in affirmation. But their relief was short-lived. No sooner did the man leave, than another appeared. This man came with their mortal enemy-the axe. He went straight to the tallest tree and started chopping it. The tree winced in pain with each blow. The shorter tree watched helplessly as his friend was being murdered. It cried silently for the loss of another friend. It could do nothing but stand and watch, knowing as soon as the man was done with its friend, it would be its turn.

You will know our worth when the last tree is cut, and you will no longer be able to lead a happy and content life, it said, and waited silently for its turn.