The purple tree of eternal life
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there was a young boy named Ivan. Ivan was a curious and adventurous child, and he had heard many stories from the elders in his village about the legendary Purple Tree of Eternal Life.
The Purple Tree, it was said, stood at the edge of the world, deep in the enchanted forest. There was a belief that whoever drank from its purple fruit would be granted eternal youth and immortality. Ivan longed to see the Purple Tree for himself, so he decided to set out on a quest to find it.
Ivan packed a bag with food and a water flask and set off into the forest. He walked for many days, and the deeper he went, the more the forest seemed to change. The trees grew taller and thicker, and the air grew colder and damper. But Ivan was determined, and he pressed on.
As Ivan journeyed more profoundly into the forest, he encountered strange and fantastical creatures. For example, he saw a group of mischievous raccoon-like creatures called Vodyanoy and a giant dragon-like creature called Zmey. But Ivan was not afraid and greeted them with kindness, knowing they might be helpful if you treated them respectfully.
One day, Ivan came upon a clearing, and there, standing in the center, was the Purple Tree of Eternal Life. Its trunk was thick and gnarled, and its branches were adorned with clusters of glittering purple fruit. Ivan approached the tree with awe and wonder, reaching out to pluck one of the fruits.
As he touched the fruit, he heard a voice. It was the tree’s voice, speaking to him in a language he did not understand. But Ivan felt it was trying to tell him something important, and he listened carefully.
The tree spoke of how the purple fruit would grant Ivan eternal life but also how the greed and desire for eternal life is something that could cause a great deal of harm to others. It explained that for people to find true happiness, it is essential to living in the present and cherish each moment as it comes.
Ivan thought deeply about the tree’s words, and he realized that the true gift of the Purple Tree was not eternal life but the wisdom to live in the present and to appreciate the beauty of life as it unfolds. So he left the fruit on the tree and returned home with a new understanding of what it truly means to be alive.
When Ivan returned to his village, he shared the story of his journey and the wisdom he had gained from the Purple Tree.
From that day forward, Ivan lived his life with a newfound appreciation for the beauty of each day, and the people around him saw him as a wise man. He didn’t need eternal life, for his life was already full of meaning and purpose.
And so, Ivan’s quest for the Purple Tree of Eternal Life became a tale that was told and retold for generations, inspiring people to live their lives with purpose and to cherish the time they have.
