Oak tree walking at dusk

In the village of Llanwith, at the edge of the valley, stood an oak tree so huge that its branches shaded the river bank, and its roots went deeper into the ground than any well. People called it "the ancient oak tree." They said it had stood there ever since kings wore crowns, and ever since wise men sang under the moonlight. Its bark carried amulets, its leaves cured fevers, and its fruits brought blessings to newborns. But she had one strange nature; At dusk, when fog creeps in from the valley, The tree was not staying in place, but rather its roots were moving and its shadow was extending across the plantations. It was said: “If you make a covenant under it, you may find the tree standing at your door the next night... waiting.” The covenant under the oak

One fall, a shepherd named Jasser lost three of his sheep in the swamps. Out of his intense anger, he swore under the old oak tree, saying:

“If I find my sheep, I will give the tree a gift more precious than gold.” The next day the sheep returned, shouting at his gate. Jasser laughed at his oath. He thought the matter was over and did not pay attention to it. But at dusk, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye; Branches swaying despite the stillness of the wind, and roots crawling over the grass like fingers searching for something. As night fell, the “old oak tree” stood at the edge of his pasture, its trunk groaning as if it was breathing. Walking at dusk

Jasser fled to the village elders' council, where the faces of the elders turned pale upon hearing his story. “She made a promise to the old oak tree,” said the wise Amra, “and now she walks to claim what is owed to her. The earth does not forget the words that come from the heart.” That night, Jasser did not sleep; the fog was thick and he began to hear regular tapping on the windows of his house, as if they were wooden fingers. In his dream, he saw the tree’s bark turning into the face of an old man whispering in a voice resembling rustling leaves: “Where is the giving that is more precious than gold, Jasser?”

Awarded bid

The next morning, Gasser tried to trick the tree; He buried a bundle of gold under its roots that reached his door, but the tree did not move, but rather its shadow increased in length until it completely covered his house. The hut became completely dark in the middle of the day. Jasser realized his despair and returned to the wise woman, and she told him: “Gold feeds greed, but life feeds the earth. Look for the seed of survival.” Jasser returned with a humble heart, and humbly bent down to pick up the smallest acorn that had fallen from its branches. He took it to the “salt marsh” where his sheep were lost, dug a hole with his own hands, planted the fruit, and watered it with his tears of remorse for having flouted the covenant. Conclusion: The New Dawn

When the sun rose the next day, Jasser woke up to find light filling his house. He quickly went out and did not find any traces of the tree at his door, but rather found traces of its deep roots going back towards the river. He ran towards the swamp, and found that the fruit had sprouted into a strong young bush in one night. Since then, the village has had two oak trees; Old and young. People say that if you pass by them at dusk, you might see one of them swaying as if preparing to take another step towards the one who has forgotten his promises.