Two Mulberry Trees

A Spiritual Allegory

In the middle of a field that was checkered with poppies, stood two mulberry trees a fair distance from one another. One mulberry tree was planted where the soil was particularly fertile, located a stone’s throw distance from a small rocky creek. This mulberry tree rose high into the sky, its leaves full of moisture, puffing out to a remarkable width, so that much of the field fell under its shadow. The other mulberry tree was planted where the soil was sandy; located just in eye sight of the small rocky creek. This mulberry tree was smaller than the other one; some of its leaves were lacking moisture and the little shade it offered was tattered with spots where the sun shone through.

One day, when the sun was at its highest point; a herd of cows that could not bear the heat, begun moving towards the small rocky creek for a drink. After they had drunk from the creek, they sought to lie down in shade; in order to be shielded from the harsh heat. Most of the herd were able to fit under the larger mulberry tree that was near the creek and planted in fertile soil, since it provided much shade for the cows to rest. The smaller mulberry tree offered little shade and there were spots where the sun shone through; since unlike the other mulberry tree, it was far from the creek and was planted in sandy soil; thus only a small number of cows were able to take refuge under the shade it offered.

Three cows however could not fit under the shade, since there was no room left for them. Two of these managed to lay their heads under the shade whilst the rest of their body lay exposed to the sun. The other cow however was all alone, and could not fit at all under the shade offered by either of the two mulberry trees. The sad lonely cow wondered off and sat in the heat of the sun for the remainder of the day.

The farmer who owned the field was driving past when he saw the lonely cow that could not fit under the shade of the trees. He continued towards his home where at night he could not sleep, for he loved his animals and could not bear the thought of their suffering. Suddenly a thought occurred to him, and he went fast to sleep. Early in the morning he rose, and getting his children up out of bed drove to the small mulberry tree in order to uproot it. By the late afternoon the tree had come free; and after digging a hole where the soil was fertile, located even closer to the creek than that of the other tree; himself and his children re-planted the tree. “That ought to do it” said the farmer to his children, “for now we will have to provide a temporary means of shade, yet within a year this mulberry tree shall grow large and healthy, and there will be enough shade for all the cows to rest under”.

After a year had passed the farmer returned to the tree, yet he had found himself to be proven wrong. For there was not enough shade for all the cows to rest under; there was more than enough.

+Heel of Christ+

Dec 2012