One day a little boy told his grandmother he was going to visit the Mumbi tree. The grandmother thought for sure the little boy was pretending as the little boy had very short legs, a bit thick like the tree, but very short indeed. The boy asked for an apple to give to the tree and without another moment to waste, this strong and sturdy boy walked up and up the mountain.
There was a storm that day and the boy had to hold onto his hat to get up the mountain. When he reached the top, he placed his forehead against the trunk of the tree.
“Mumbi, mumbi, mumbi please listen to me”. His little heart was beating so fast from the long journey up the mountain and from all the feelings in his heart wanting to be shared. This day the trees’ leaves rather than swaying up and back, to and fro, became still in the storm. And as the leaves became still the snow began to fall and the little boy’s heart became slower and calmer and a deep soothing breath came upon him and he kissed the tree and sat down resting his back upon the trunk of the tree.
The snow fell and more whiteness filled in all around him but not on him and the boy got calmer and sleepier. And that evening the boy, instead of hiking back down the mountain as he had planned, fell into a deep comforting sleep. When he woke, he found his mother besides him, resting, the snow having formed a white blanket around them both, the leaves still as could be .
“Mother mother mother…the Mumbi tree has listened to me. You have found your way back to me, just where I always wanted you to be.”
“Child my sweet child,” said the mother just like the Mumbi tree. “I will always be right here with you, where I am meant to be.”
The little boy and his mother both touched their foreheads on the trunk of the tree and smiled at the tree with loving kindness pouring from their hearts. Then together, they held hands and walked back down the mountain to their home where grandma was waiting with cookies and tea.