Elle Vampa

One day the tree did not blossom.

It was the defeat of Winter and Spring was celebrating her victory in full.

The whole of the Kingdom looked divine: grass sung, birds awakened, and all trees blossomed.

All but one.

The Tree Of Prosperity stood desolate in the courtyard. It had lost all its leaves apart from a single piece. This last remaining leaf looked dull, and barely alive.

Everyone in the Princess’ court worried about the tree and its final leaf: surely if it fell, the Kingdom would be dowsed in misery!

For the Tree Of Prosperity held everyone’s wishes, desires and life goals. The falling of this leaf would mean the end of all happiness for all people!

And so everyone worried.

The Chamber Ladies watered the tree daily. The Tutor spoke to it softly and gently. And the Guards set up watch.

Despite the final leaf being kept intact, nothing anyone did seemed to increase the tree’s condition; it remained dark and more near death than ever.

Meanwhile, the Princess looked at the scene from her bedroom window.

She could see the efforts people were making, and felt their despair as nothing helped to improve the Tree Of Prosperity’s condition.

“Princess, Princess, a great disaster is upon us!” The Chancellor rushed in, panicking as always.

He was a scrumpy little man, his white beard longer than the rest of his sturdy body. He’d trip over his own facial hair quite often, even more so when he was panicking.

Which, if you asked the Princess, he always was.

“Calm down,” she said to her loyal servant, “What is the matter?”

The Chancellor took a few moments to catch his breath (and his beard), and said: “There is a storm coming tonight! The Kingdom is ruined! We must flee from this disaster!”

The Princess pondered for a while. The storm would surely destroy the last leaf and leave the Tree Of Prosperity empty of any wish, desire or life goal. She knew she had to do something, but what?

She glanced outside. Panic was rushing down the castle steps and she had but little time to outrun it.

“Can you help me get to the tree as fast as possible?” she asked the Hunter for help.

He was tall, strong, and not afraid of anything. He never said a word, but his actions spoke for him.

The Hunter carried the Princess out into the courtyard with a speed faster than thought itself, and placed her near the Tree Of Prosperity.

Everyone’s face was fixed on her, their hearts full of hope mixed with anxiety. The Princess slowly walked up to the tree and…

Picked the leaf.

She turned around and faced her shocked audience. Holding the dead leaf high, the Princess said:

“If you’re too afraid to let go of something old, there will never be room for something new.”

The next day, the Tree Of Prosperity died.

But when they cut it down, they discovered a tiny green sprout.