1.In the heart of a great forest，a tall palm-tree raised its stately head far above all the other trees.It had no spreading branches，like the rest；only a smooth，round trunk，crowned with a bunch of feathery green leaves.
2.A bird flew over the forest one day，and，as it passed，it dropped a single seed into the palm-tree’s beautiful crown of leaves.For a time the seed lay there just as it fell；but at last the hot sun and the refreshing showers wroughtthat it was alive.
3.Tiny rootlets a change in it，and it began to show grew out from it，and they began to twine round the palm leaves，fixing firmly in itsstrange home the young plant which began to appear.Presently the roots became larger，and twisted themselves into a network round the trunk of thepalm-tree，as they made their way down to the ground.
4.How did the palm-tree like this strange guest ？For a time it stood as erect and stately as before，but soon it began to droop
The twining roots were clasping it so tightly that the sap could not flow freely through its leaves.While these roots were growing and thriving，the palm-tree was dying.
5.At last the palm-tree died；but by this time theroots had fixed themselves firmly in the ground，and where the palm had stood there was now a healthy banyan-tree，with branches spreading out on every side.These twining roots had become a cluster of pillars or stems to support it.
6.But as the banyan-tree grows and spreads，more pillars are needed.Long slender shoots grow down from its branches，and hang swayingin the wind.By and-by they reach the ground，and send down little rootlets to fix themselves there.
7.Then they grow thicker and stronger，and form new stems or props for the parent tree.You can see them in the picture，some thick and strong，someyoung and slender，and some which have not yet reached the ground.
8.As time goes on，the banyan becomes very large indeed.It has hundreds of these props，and looks like a whole grove of trees instead of only one.Thousands of men could find room to rest beneath its shade.
9.In India the herdsman is glad to get its shelter from the burning heat of the sun，and he often uses the banyan-tree as his tent.He weavesits branches together，and fills up the spaces between its stems with twigs and leaves.Thus he makes a shady bowerhimself，where he sits and watches his flock.
