Once upon a time, there was a tree who lived in a beautiful forest filled with woodland creatures and sprites. The forest was full of brightly colored flowers and shimmering sprites, and the woodland creatures were kind and sweet. The forest was always alive with joy and song. The sprites made the flowers bloom in exquisite shades of red and yellow, blue and violet, and the forest was, all around one of Old Man Universe’s better creations.

In the forest, there dwelled a tree. Tree was very vain. She always strived to be more beautiful than any other. One day, Sun became angry at Tree because she had insulted him, saying that the only reason his sunset was so radiant was because Old Man Universe pitied him, saw him as a sort of pet with no brains of it’s own, so he teased her.

“Ha! Tree, do you not see my marvelous sunset? See how it is far more beautiful than your simple green leaves?!” said Sun scathingly. Tree scowled and grumbled, but she had to admit, nothing was more beautiful than the sunset. Nothing, not even her pure, bright, green leaves.

Tree, who did not back down easily, wanted nothing more than to be more magnificent than the sunset, and she finally made up her mind to talk to Old Man Universe. She went to his palace. She found him in the throne room, sitting on his diamond encrusted throne, which was sparkling blindingly due to all the sunlight pouring in through the gigantic windows.

“What troubles you, my dear Tree?” asked Old Man Universe, his wrinkled face contorted with concern, his hand absentmindedly stroking his longish white beard.

“Oh! Mr. Universe, I wish to be the most dazzling! I wish to be more lovely than the sunset!” she cried dramatically. Old Man Universe was taken aback, for he had created

Tree to be statuesque.

“Dear, you are beautiful! With your long, strong limbs, and your leaves, so green and bright!” he said hurriedly. Tree just kept on sobbing, taking no notice of his comfort and praise. “Oh, stop crying, please! I’ll… I’ll make you more beautiful, just don’t cry anymore!” pleaded Old Man Universe. Tree stopped all at once, and a pleased smirk played across her face.

“I knew you’d help me! Oh, thank you! Now, I simply must be more lovely than the sunset, but there is nothing more beautiful than the sunset, so I’d have to become a sunset to outshine Sun’s beauty… Oh, I know! Paint me the colors of the sunset. Then I will be truly happy,” she stated plainly, as if instructing someone on how to do something very elementary.

Old Man Universe complied. Once he had finished, he stepped back to admire his handiwork and brushed his hands off on his long purple robes.

“There, dear! Now, you are really much more exquisite than Sun.”  Tree could not complain. She was truly pulchritudinous. Her leaves were red and yellow and orange, and her wish had been granted. She went proudly from Old Man Universe’s castle

Upon reaching her forest home, she laughed at all the simple green leaves on all the other trees and snapped, “Shut up! Your horror of a tune is making my leaves wilt!” at some passer-by birds. She shoved a doe away from a crystal clear pond and gazed at her reflection fondly. “Aha! Sun, look upon me now! See how I am even more beautiful than the sunset!” she called, and Sun saw in disgust that she was, in fact, more stunning than his sunset.

“I see you, Tree. I see your beauty. You are right. You are even more beautiful than my sunset,” said Sun reluctantly.

“Ha! My wish has been granted! I am the most lovely!” screeched Tree, still staring at her reflection in the pond.

Soon, all the woodland creatures and the forest sprites became fed up with Tree’s vanity, so they went to Old Man Universe and complained.

“Tree won’t let us nest or sing anywhere near her!” complained several birds, all carrying nests, some full of eggs, on their heads.

“And she won’t let me set! All I can do now is hover near the horizon!” chimed in Sun.

“Which means we can’t sleep!” moaned some woodland creatures, all with bags under their eyes.

“Alright. I’ll sort this out,” said Old Man Universe. He went to the forest where Tree dwelled and found her at the pond again, immersed in her own reflection.

“Oh, Mr. Universe! See how happy you’ve made me! I’m absolutely gorgeous!” she cried when she finally noticed him.

Old Man Universe looked from beaming Tree to scowling creatures and said, “Tree, I gave you the gift of breathtaking beauty, and in return, you were cruel and vain. Now you must be punished for your vanity.”

Tree gasped, and cried,

“Oh, Mr. Universe, don’t take my leaves! Please, don’t-”

Old Man Universe interrupted, and said, “Tree, you may keep your leaves, but only for a short period of time. Then all your leaves will fall off, leaving you bare and ugly. Only once a year, before the winter sprites come, but after the fall sprites have gone, may you have your colorful leaves. During the seasons of the summer and spring sprites, you will have just plain green leaves. Then, you will not be vain, you will be grateful for your beauty, and you will cherish it, not flaunt it,” said Old Man Universe. “But you will not suffer alone. You and all you descendants will be punished by this curse for all time!” And with a flick of his wrist, all of Tree’s leaves and all of the other tree’s leaves fell, leaving them bare and ugly.

From that day on, Tree was not vain, she was grateful for her beauty. She did not brag anymore, for she had nothing to brag about. She was no longer vain. But in the fall, if you notice that the trees are a bit bigger looking, or a bit prouder, you’ll know why.