44 Trails to Woods and Waters 



feeble and unsatisfying his smile, that had 

 usually been so warm and loving. 



" He was not like himself at all, and it was 

 a great relief to me when he was again bright 

 and cheerful. 



" It was the wind that finally humbled my 

 pride and made me bow my haughty head. I 

 had long thought I was the strongest thing 

 in the world and I had no fear of wind or 

 storm. Once I had been struck by lightning 

 and I still bear the scar, one hundred and 

 forty rings back from my bark, but I soon 

 recovered from that. 



" But the wind, that went mad, and tore 

 at the heart of the forest taught me the great- 

 est lesson I ever learned and that was the 

 lesson of humility. Then I understood that 

 no matter how strong one may think himself 

 there is always something stronger, that will 

 some day humble him. 



" One afternoon early in August } when I 

 was one hundred and fifty years old, the sky 

 grew suddenly green and a strange calm was 

 over everything. 



