The giant tree stood a few meters away from my window with
its branches spread out as if to welcome anyone who needed shade
on a hot day. The tree ___1___
soft red fruit and birds flocked to peck at the sweet fruit.
The mighty tree looked as though she had lived for ___2___.
At full moon, we watched owls and bats fan around the branches.
Their hide-and-seek games created a silent joy in nature.
Squirrels played all over the branches and at ___3___
they came down to run on the dry leaves. They enjoyed their
freedom. One day, a ___4___
squirrel fell down to the ground. I nursed it back to health and
he survived. Mynahs, doves and insects made the giant tree ___5___
home. To me, the tree was a great comfort during the scorching
midday sun and a constant source of entertainment.
One day, a dozen men came armed with ___6___
saws to fell the tree. No amount of pleading, persuading or
reasoning would stop them. They had their orders to remove all
trees standing in the way of a ___7___
highway construction. I returned to my room not wanting to watch
the painful sight of my majestic tree dying a slow death. The
last crashing sound sent me running to my mother. I went out and
fingered the tender leaves and cried with the little birds lying
there on the ground. |