There was once a king in India, who wanted to build himself a palace more beautiful than any other in the country. He decided that its entire building would be supported by column only.

The king called his chief minister and said, ``send men to my forests far and near, and tell them to cut down and bring to the city the biggest and strongest tree they can find’’.

The minister at once sent out forty forests. The foresters soon returned, saying that though there were many strong and gigantic trees in the kingdom, they could not carry or drag them all the way to the city.

``Very well,’’ said the king. ``You must find a tree just as big, in one of my own parks, and bring it here within six days.’’

The foresters left and went straight to a splendid sal tree that grew not far from the place. The tree was worshipped by the people of many nearby villages because with it lived a tree spirit. The tree had unusual strength, size, and beauty.

So the foresters decided that the king’s column must be made from this beautiful sal tree. They came with garlands, lamps, and music party o pray to the spirit inside. They wanted to warn her that she must leave her tree, for within six days it would be cut to the ground.

The spirit understood what was to happen. She remained quite as a resting breeze for a few moments, and then all her leaves began to whisper.

This was what the leaves were whispering to each other: ``Sh –sh! Our fall will rush all the little sal trees that have sprung up and thrive under our protection. For ourselves we do not care, but for the children’s sake, we wish the king had not wished this-.’’

As the whispering died away, the spirit within the tree thought, ``this must not be allowed. I must visit the king and persuade him o change his mind.’’

That night, while the king was sleep, a shining figure appeared to him in is dreams and spoke in a soft voice: ``I am the spirit of the sal tree, O king. I have today learned of your plan to fell me. Plan to fell me. I have come to beg you to change your decision’’.

``No I can not,’’ answered the king. `` Yours is the only tree in my park strong enough to support a palace, and therefore I must have it’’.

``O king! For a thousand years the people of many villages have worshipped me. The birds have their nests in me. Against my trunk, men take rest, gland of the cool shade.’’

``True’’, said the king, ``all true enough, good sal spirit, but for this I can not spare you. I cannot change my mind’’.

The tree spirit bowed her head and spoke.

``Then, mighty king, grant me one request. Let me be felled in three parts; first my head, with its waving greenery; next my middle, with its hundred strong arms and hands; last my trunk.’’

``This is a strange request,’’ said the king. ``I have never heard of anyone who wished to suffer three times. Why not endure it once, and have it over?’’

``Because my family has grown round about me. Dozens of young sal trees have sprung from me and thrived in my shadow. If you feel me with one mighty stroke, my weight would certainly crush all my children to death. But If I suffer the stroke three times and fall in three pieces, some of the little ones may escape. Do you grant my prayer?’’

``Yes I do,’’ said the king, as the tree spirit faded away.

The next morning the king called the minister and his foresters and told them that he had changed his mind. He said that the column for the new palace should be built of stone, not wood.

``Because a very noble spirit lives in the sal tree,’’ he said. And then he told them of his dream.