#4
Since midwinter began, there have been less and less people coming to Mount Humble, and there is a sense of desolation in every valley. Having grown quite tall, Junipy thinks that he is strong that nothing is going to happen to him even though Stormy comes.
The tree branches on Mount Love on the other side are shaking severely. Stormy must be on his way to Mount Humble soon. Sure enough, the wind blowing from Mount Love is getting stronger and stronger. The wind feels colder and more piercing probably because Cold Wavy is accompanying Stormy this time. Feeling the wind, Junipy is relieved that it isn’t as strong as he has expected.
“Heh! It’s nothing serious!”
Puffed up, Junipy enjoys the wind with all his body. But then here comes Stormy! All the trees on Mount Humble hold onto the ground, using all their roots. As Stormy and Cold Wavy began to stride across the mountain, Junipy’s branches which were fine a second ago are shaking so hard that it looks like they are going to break off. The moment a tree was blown away from the roots last time Stormy came flashes through Junipy’s mind.
Junipy comes to his senses and screams, worrying that the same thing is going to happen to him.
“Oh, no, help me!”
Then the mommy tree shouts to Junipy in the midst of the strong wind,
“Junipy, hold Mom and Junee’s roots. Don’t let go!”
Junipy holds Junee and his mom’s roots with his few roots. Junee and Mom both take a firm hold of Junipy with their roots that they have taken near him.
“Mom, I’m scared.”
“Junipy, if your branches are about to break, just empty your mind and relax.
Otherwise, your roots can get hurt. Do you understand me?”
As soon as the mom tree says it, Stormy charges at Junipy. Then Junipy’s branches shake violently in the wind.
“Help me! Aaaargh!”
Scared to death, Junipy bursts into tears. Junee tries to comfort Junipy.
“Junipy! Don’t worry. You will be okay. Mom and I will hold you tight.”
Shedding tears, Junipy tries to empty his mind and relax as his mom told him to. After looking at his branches shaking terribly for a while, he closes his eyes.
#5
By the time winter was almost over and the cold weather was fading away, Breezy visited Mount Humble. Junipy and Junee welcome Breezy.
“Breezy! Long time no see! I haven’t seen you for a long time since Stormy and Cold Wavy came.”
“I know. I have many places to visit whenever spring comes.”
Greeting Junee, Breezy looks at Junipy and says,
“I heard Stormy almost took you away.”
“Yes, he did. But Mom and Junee saved me. Although my branches broke, I think it’s actually a good thing because I am back to my original body. But you know, you asked me to tell the other trees that Stormy was coming, but I didn’t. What if some trees got injured because of me?”
Junee says with a smile to her sad-looking brother.
“Don’t worry. All the trees on Mount Humble already knew about it. You know, Mom’s been living in Mount Humble for a long time, so she knows when Stormy comes. She told me to tell the trees.”
Junipy is surprised to hear that.
“So you already knew about that? Is that why you kept stretching your roots toward me?”
“Uh-huh. Mom suggested that we stretch our roots toward you so that you won’t be blown away by the wind because of your weak roots.”
Finally, Junipy realizes why Junee tried to stop him from growing tall, and estimates the heart of his mom who quietly waited for him to realize it on his own. He feels regretful
that he got angry at Junee for taking roots near him and that he didn’t listen to his mom.
“I’m so sorry, Junee. Knowing nothing, I only got mad at you.”
Junipy apologizes to his sister sincerely, and Junee shakes her leaves.
“It’s okay. I understand you.”
“I will grow low and wide like Mom and you. If I can, I’ll spread my branches even to the cliff over there! I need your help though, Junee. Will you help me?”
“Sure!”
Junee and Junipy smile at each other.
The mommy tree looks at them happily, and then says to Breezy,
“I feel the happiest when Junipy and Junee get along with each other. Breezy, you need to get along with your siblings, too, okay? That’s the best thing you can do to your parents.”
Breezy nods and sends out a gentle breeze.
#6
Spring has come to Mount Humble, and it is filled with fragrances of flowers. Junipy’s branches have already spread to the cliff. Junipy is surprised to see the scenery under the cliff. People who looked tall before and the leaves that traveled along the wind and made fun of him for being short, look so tiny now.
“When did my branches reach the cliff? Wow! It’s high up here!”
Mr. Rock who is underneath laughs out and says,
“Ha ha, didn’t you know that? You are at the summit of Mount Humble. You’ve grown up here ever since you were a little kid.”
“Really? Are you saying that I’ve lived in this high place the whole time?”
“Sure, you have! I’ve watched you grow ever since you were born.”
“I’d envied the trees down there for the longest time, but there was no reason to do that.”
“I’m glad you know that now. Ha ha.”
At that moment, Junipy remembered what his mom said to him when he was feeling upset about what Mapley had said to him:
“You will be much bigger than him.”
He didn’t understand what she meant at that time, but now he does. Junipy, full of happiness, makes a determination again to be the biggest, no, the lowest and widest tree in this mountain. You know, being tall is not the only way to be big.
