The Knobbly Tree

The Knobbly Tree started out with one or two bumps, but before long the bumps appeared to have run amok. There were bumps up the front, and bumps down the back, and bumps on the sides, and in every way he was undeniably, knobbly, and quite different from the other trees in the Northwest Woods.

This difference was not lost on the surrounding trees, some of whom took to what we can only describe as a mean-spirited approach to the encroaching knobblies. They were heard to make any number of disparaging remarks to the Knobbly Tree, and certain other of the more Sensitive Souls began to worry about the effect on him.

Worried unnecessarily, as it turns out. Knobbly Tree never, ever took offense, but seemed, merely, curious. Oh, you don’t like my knobblies, do you? he would ask in surprise. It seems to upset you an awful lot if something is in the least bit different, he concluded, sympathetically. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? he would solicitously inquire. No matter what the others said, Knobbly Tree never responded in kind, and never seemed to feel in the least bit diminished by the teasing.

The teasing, of course, eventually stopped, because no one had a reasonable answer for Knobbly Tree’s gentle inquiries, and Knobbly Tree grew and flourished in the Northwest Woods.