The Giving Tree-爱心树

儿歌名称：The Giving Tree-爱心树
歌词：
　　　Once there was a giving tree
　　　Who loved a little boy
　　　And everyday the boy would come to play
　　　Swinging from her branches
　　　Sleeping in her shades
　　　Laughing all the summer hours away
　　　And so they loved, and oh the tree was happy
　　　Oh, the tree was glad

　　 　But soon the boy grew older
　　 　And one day he came and said
　　　Can you give me some money, tree
　　　To buy some things I've found
　　　 I have no money, said the tree
　　　Just apples, twigs and leaves
　　　But you can take my apples, boy
　 　And sell them in the town
　 　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad

　 　Soon again the boy came back
　　And he said to the tree, I'm now a man
　　And I must have a house that's all my own
　 　I can't give you a house, said the tree
　 　The forest is my home
　 　But you may cut my branches off
　 　And build yourself a home
　　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad

　　 And time went by and the boy came back
　　With sadness in his eyes
　　My life has turned so cold, he said
　　And I need sunny days
　　I'm nothing buy my trunk, she said
　　But you may cut it down
　　And build yourself a boat and sail away
　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　Oh, the tree was glad

　And after years, the boy came back
　From both ends of the world
　I really cannot help you
　If you ask another gift
　 I'm nothing but an old stump now
　　I'm sorry, boy, she said
　　 I'm sorry, but I've nothing more to give
　I don't need very much now
　?ust a quiet place to rest
　The boy, he whispered with a weary smile
　Well, said the tree, an old stump is still as good for that
　Come, boy, she said, sit down
　Sit down and rest awhile
　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　Oh, the tree was glad
一则有关“索取”与“付出”的寓言，适合所有的年龄。特别值得向辛劳的爸爸妈妈们推荐。
　　一个男孩儿幸运地遇到了一棵因爱而给予，因给予而快乐的大树。大树用他全部的生命陪伴男孩儿一生，为他创造了一生。男孩儿曾因成长而离开，但他在生命的开始与结尾都和大树为伴，为此，大树幸福不已。理解这个故事的孩子会隐约地感受到自己与亲人的关系和男孩儿与大树的关系有相似之处。这是一本不分读者群的经典图画书，作者希尔弗斯坦是20世纪最伟大的绘本作家之一，绘图以简单利落的黑白线条勾勒形象，没有背景，留有很大的空白。文字简洁、明了，略含幽默、讽刺、忧伤的气息，在整体氛围上图文的配合非常融洽。希尔弗斯坦的其他作品如《失落的一角》也保持了同样的风格。
　　从前有一棵大树，它和一个男孩儿是好朋友。每天男孩儿都跑来和它一起玩，他们很快乐。可是随着时光流逝，男孩儿长大了。大树感到了孤寂。一天，孩子来看大树，"我需要一些钱。"于是大树把自己的苹果给了孩子。后来又一天，长大了的孩子来了，"我需要一幢房子。"于是大树把所有的树枝都给了孩子。又过了很长时间，孩子又回来了，"我需要一条船，驾着它到远方去。" 于是大树又把自己的树干给了孩子。又过了很久，已经变老了的孩子回来了。"非常抱歉，孩子，"大树说，"我现在只是个老树墩，没有什么可以给你的了。""我现在需要的实在不多，"孩子说，"我只想找个安静的地方坐坐，我太累了"。于是孩子坐下了。大树很快乐。
　　这是一个温馨、又略带哀伤的动人故事。希尔弗斯坦以简单俐落的线条，充满诗意又带有嘲讽幽默的文字，为各个年龄的读者创造了一则令人心醒动容的寓言--在施与受之间，也在爱与被爱之间。