One day, Turnip, feeling proud and dignified, decided to deliver a speech. As he spoke, he captivated the attention of many seeds gathered around him. With great pride, he proclaimed that the esteemed Master Onion had shared a profound secret with him, one he was eager to reveal. Turnip urged everyone to listen closely, emphasizing that this secret came from the deepest layers of master Onion’s wisdom.
The crowd waited eagerly to hear the great secret of master Onion through Turnip’s thoughtful words. He began with a tone heavy with intrigue. "The Sun, often praised for its mercy, is not as benevolent as you might think. It has committed numerous injustices against seeds, saplings, and other plants. True, it shows great affection to select companions, such as Walnut tree, who endlessly sings its praises. But I have heard tales of the Sun’s injustices, and I feel compelled to share them with you. Know this: Walnut tree is a traitor. He knows bitter truths but chooses to conceal them from you."
A great commotion rippled through the seeds, stirring them with anxiety and unrest.
Turnip continued, "Let me recount a tale from the past," he said gravely. "I’ve heard of a time when several Celery plants grew near a Walnut tree. One of them was closer to the tree than the rest. Then, the Sun became scorching hot, and all the Celery plants withered—except the one closest to Walnut tree. That Celery survived because he was the tree’s friend, and the Sun spared only those who praised it, as Walnut tree does. Master Onion himself witnessed this incident when he was just a seed. He saw the Sun’s injustice and etched it deep within his innermost layers, then withdrew deep into the earth, taking solace in its shadowy embrace."
The seeds, overwhelmed by sorrow and unrest, began whispering among themselves. Suddenly, Garlic bush turned to Date seed and exclaimed, "Didn’t we warn you? We told you not to trust Walnut tree or believe his lies!" All eyes turned to Date seed, expecting her to condemn Walnut tree’s actions. Yet, Date seed remained silent, lost in deep thought. Though she did not appear to believe Turnip’s words entirely, they lingered in her mind. Retreating into herself, she began to weep softly.
Tears filled Turnip’s eyes, and with a trembling, mournful voice, he said:
"I could never have imagined that Walnut tree would act this way, betraying the seeds so deeply."
From above, Walnut tree observed everything in silence, as if oblivious to their accusations and heartbreak. He neither confirmed nor denied their words, choosing instead to maintain his silence.
Meanwhile, burdened by doubts, Date seed turned to the Sun and poured out her grievances. "O radiant Sun! I cannot unravel the truth behind Walnut tree’s supposed betrayal. Could he truly have deceived us? Why would Walnut tree conspire with you, the unjust Sun, to harm us?"
As the words left her lips, a sudden realization struck her—she was lamenting Walnut tree’s betrayal to the very Sun she accused of injustice. The oppressor was the Sun itself, with Walnut tree merely a complicit ally. Overwhelmed by the weight of her thoughts, Date seed fell silent, questioning her own judgment. And why would you, so powerful, allow such injustice?" As she spoke, a chilling realization struck her—she was accusing the Sun, the very entity she addressed, of being unjust. Falling silent, she questioned the wisdom of her complaints.
Burdened by these thoughts, Date seed whispered to herself, "If even the Sun, the ruler of this world, can be unjust, then to whom shall I turn? Surely, there must be a greater force beyond the Sun to whom I can plead for justice." With these contemplations weighing on her, Date seed drifted into uneasy slumber.
The other seeds, consumed by disgust and resentment, lashed out against Walnut tree with fervent condemnation. In their anger and frustration, they hurled harsh words and levelled unjust accusations at the tree. As their heated conversation began to wane, Radish broke the silence with a pointed question: "Has any one of you truly witnessed the greatness or majesty of Walnut tree? He claims to have touched the skies, but doesn’t that sound too far-fetched to be anything more than a lie?"
Each seed, caught in a storm of fury and tangled thoughts from the discussions, eventually drifted into an uneasy sleep, their minds heavy with confusion and resentment.
In the stillness of midnight, Walnut tree sat in quiet sorrow, longing to share his burden with the Sun. Sensing his sadness, Almond tree approached and spoke gently, "Dear Walnut tree, my wise and noble friend, do not let their accusations trouble you. Your generosity and wisdom are well-known."
Walnut tree replied calmly, "I bear no ill will toward them. Though at times I feel weary and seek solace in the Sun’s light, I have no complaints against anyone."
The Almond tree, astonished, exclaimed: "O Walnut tree, you are a symbol of wisdom! How can someone as wise as you feel disheartened? I have never known a being with such profound insight as yours."
The Walnut tree replied thoughtfully, "Let us assume that I am, indeed, a wise tree. Even so, in this vast world, countless standards exist. By your measure, I may seem wise, but by my own, I feel utterly inadequate and abandoned. All I truly desire is to help these seeds grow, yet I find myself powerless to discover how."
"Then why not speak to them?" Almond tree urged. "Tell them you are not deceitful and that the story about Onion is untrue."
Walnut tree sighed again. "The tale Onion shared is not false—it is true," he admitted.
Stunned, Almond tree replied, "How can that be? Surely such a story cannot be true!"
The Walnut tree said, "O Almond, what he spoke was indeed true. His story was real, but it was his own perspective that shaped it. In this world, there are many truths, each of which can be seen in a different light. Each individual perceives truth through their own lens, and for that, no fault can be found. Onion, too, spoke from his own understanding, and for him, that was the truth. From my own point of view, that event is also true, but my interpretation of it differs."
The Almond tree said, "O dear Walnut, my steadfast companion, I cannot grasp how this event appeared to you. Please, share with me how you saw it."
The Walnut tree began his tale: "Once, I was not as grand and mighty as I am now, though I was still a substantial tree. In those days, I looked down and saw the Celery leaves turning yellow. So, I called out to them, 'When the Sun comes, face me and take shelter beneath my shade. I will do my best to protect you from its scorching rays.'
But as time passed, my efforts seemed in vain. Despite my persistent attempts, the Celery leaves grew increasingly yellow. I tried harder, but they continued to wither.
One day, I noticed a single Celery plant closer to me than the others. It was the only one that remained healthy and vibrant. Intrigued, I asked, 'How is it that you alone seem unharmed amidst the others' struggles?'
The Celery replied, 'The others say you are selfish, but I do not believe them. They have distanced themselves from you, thinking your words and deeds don’t align. But I trust you and love you. That is why I have come closer, so I don't have to hear their words.'"
The Walnut tree continued, "I said to the Celery, 'I don’t fully understand what you mean, but I am doing my best to provide shade for you and the others so that you don't wither under the scorching sun.'
The Celery replied, 'They say you pretend to protect them from the Sun, but in truth, you are so envious and selfish that you want the Sun all to yourself! Now that the others are moving closer to the Sun, you try to stop them because you want the Sun to be exclusively yours.'
At that moment, the Walnut tree let out a deep sigh. 'This was where my wisdom failed me. I watched them burn under the Sun’s fierce rays. They couldn’t withstand the direct sunlight, and I had no answer. I could only stay silent and watch them suffer. As for the Celery closest to me, I never understood how he survived. I, too, learned that every being requires just the right amount of light. I felt helpless, knowing I could not call out to the Sun and ask it to spare some light for them. So, I turned inward and, in the solitude of my heart, called to the gardener, hoping he could intervene—he alone possesses the power to change things in this garden.
Years have passed since that moment, and I have gained more wisdom. With this newfound insight, I now watch over Date seed, Radish, and the other plants carefully, always mindful of the balance they need."
