I am a lumberjack and it is just another ordinary day. I picked up my chainsaw and set for my work. Stumps were scattered all around the region, where once the mighty forest stood.
No birds soaring above me.
A hippo waiting for its fate, as it stood still in a pool of water, once a mighty pond.
The timber company had already shifted its activities to a new destination and I was given the responsibility to log this last Kapok Tree left in this graveyard of dying stumps. The tree was about 200 feet tall and had a very substantial trunk of about 2 meter diameter. The trunk and many of the larger branches were crowded with very large, robust simple thorns. Hundreds of seed pods were hanging containing thousands of seeds.
I switched on my chain-saw.
Aligned it close to the tree.
The first scratch and I heard a sudden noise, "No".
I looked in all directions, but couldn't find the source.
Maybe it was the Kapok.
I continued.
After some time I heard the voice again -
"Oh mankind when will you realise,
It is I who bring the rain,
It is I who give you food,
The shelter to our friends with wings,
Air which lets you live."
I was halfway.
I stopped.
"I am sorry, but I have to earn my bread."
I was truly sorry.
I brought that Kapok down and signaled others to load it.
Only a faint whisper remained in the air -
Only when the last tree has been cut down;
Only when the last river has been poisoned;
Only when the last fish has been caught;
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
