The Tale of the Two Trees

    By Ammu Sri

    The Tale of the Two Trees cover image

    26 Jul, 2024

    two men standing in a courtyard with a stone walkway and a stone building in the background, with a painting of two men in traditional chinese clothing, incoherents, a storybook illustration, Brothers Hildebrandt, rossdraws global illumination

    In a small village, two trees named Raja and Kama lived. They were planted on the same day and grew under the same sunshine and rainfall.

    a painting of a man and woman walking down a path with a dog in front of a tree and a hut, fantasy art, a detailed matte painting, Christophe Vacher, cinematic matte painting

    Raja was tall and strong. He was proud of his height and strength, believing it was solely due to his efforts. He often mocked Kama for being weaker and shorter.

    a painting of a village with a tree in the foreground and a dirt road in the background with buildings on both sides, cloisonnism, a detailed matte painting, Akira Toriyama, official art

    Kama, on the other hand, was humble and kind. He knew that his growth was not just due to his efforts but also the nourishment he received from the soil, sun, and water.

    a couple of people walking down a rain soaked road next to a forest filled with trees and houses on a rainy day, environmental art, a comic book panel, Asaf Hanuka, graphic novel

    One day, a fierce storm hit the village. The winds were strong, and the rain was heavy. The villagers took shelter, and the trees braced themselves.

    a man standing in the rain with a tree in the background and a house in the background with a tree in the foreground, sōsaku hanga, a comic book panel, Baiōken Eishun, official art

    Raja, confident in his strength, refused to bend or flex with the wind. He stood tall and rigid, trying to fight the storm with his might.

    a tree in a village with a storm coming in from the sky and rain falling down on it,, fantasy art, a detailed matte painting, Dan Mumford, roots

    Kama, however, was different. He knew he couldn't fight the storm but could survive it. He bent and swayed with the wind, using his roots to anchor himself.

    a man walking down a dirt road past a tree with a huge trunk on it's trunk and a man standing in front of it, fantasy art, a detailed matte painting, Andreas Rocha, magic the gathering artwork

    The storm raged on. Raja, refusing to bend, finally broke under the force of the storm. Kama, however, survived, swaying but unbroken.

    a painting of a village with people walking down a dirt road and a tree with a few branches on it, afrofuturism, a comic book panel, Asaf Hanuka, graphic novel

    When the storm passed, the villagers came out to assess the damage. Raja, once the village's pride, now lay broken and uprooted.

    a painting of a tree in a rural area with a dirt road leading to a house and a tree, fantasy art, a detailed matte painting, Andreas Rocha, official art

    Kama, on the other hand, still stood tall. He was tired and battered, but he had survived the storm.

    a person standing on a dirt road near a village with houses and trees in the background and a person walking on the road, american scene painting, a detailed matte painting, Art Spiegelman, matte drawing

    The villagers were surprised. The tree that they thought was strong had fallen, and the one they thought was weak had survived.

    a painting of a dirt road with a bunch of houses on it and a few trees in the background, environmental art, a comic book panel, Farel Dalrymple, 2 d game art

    They realized that it wasn't just strength that mattered but also the ability to adapt and be flexible in the face of adversity.

    a painting of a couple walking down a dirt road in front of a village with a few huts on the side, environmental art, a detailed matte painting, Akira Toriyama, ghibli

    The tale of Raja and Kama taught them a valuable lesson: pride and arrogance can lead to downfall, while humility and adaptability can help overcome life's challenges.