Willy and the Crooked Tree

Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were good Catholics who loved Jesus and Mary, and they wanted all their children to be good Catholics as well. They had seven children and all were quite well behaved except little Willy. He was only eight years old, and was very naughty, many times.

Willy's parents wanted to cure him of his bad habit of disobedience, but even though they had tried in many ways, they could not find a method that would cure their son.

Mr. Edwards thought it might be a good idea to ask St. Joseph to help him and his wife with little Willy, so they started a novena to St. Joseph. Then one day Mr. Edwards came up with a very good idea. He asked Willy to go for a walk with him. Now, Willy loved to go out for walks, so in no time flat, he had his jacket on and said, "Let's go Daddy, I'm ready!" Then away they went for their walk.

Down to the river they went and on to a park, where there were many trees—big trees, small trees; all sorts of trees. Mr. Edwards and Willy looked at the big tall spruce trees, the white birch trees and the old oak trees. They saw the maple trees with their seeds that twirl like little helicopters, when they fall to the ground. And they saw the ash trees with their red berries and poplar trees with their little leaves that fluttered in the wind.

After walking around for about half an hour, they came upon an old plum tree. It was at least seventy years old and it had grown very crooked during its life. Looking upon the tree, Willy cried out, "That's a funny looking tree. What kind of tree is that Daddy?"

Mr. Edwards was glad that the tree had caught the boy's attention. He said, "That's an old plum tree, Willy."

"But why is it so crooked, Daddy?" Willy asked.

"It's crooked, because that's the way it grew!" his father said.

"But can't it be straightened out?" questioned Willy.

"No! It's too late to try and straighten the tree now," his father said. "You see, Willy; I brought you here for a reason. Your mother and I have been telling you that you must be obedient. If you do not listen to us when you are young, it will be too late to change, when you get older. You will be just like this crooked, old plum tree! And nobody will be able to straighten you out, because you will be set in your ways."

At this point, Willy turned to his father. "I won't be able to change my ways. And if I became really bad, I won't be able to change that either?"

"That's right!" said his father. "Don't you think it's better to change your ways and be obedient now, than let it become too late to do so?"

Tears were running down Willy's cheeks; he understood. "Oh, yes, Daddy! I will try really hard to be obedient, from now on!" and he was.

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