A loud roar suddenly shook the forest! The ancient guardian tree was very angry. Farga, a brave young boy who lived nearby, sprinted deep into the woods to see what was wrong.
Farga hid behind a bush and gasped. A proud prince in shiny armor was swinging his sword, striking at the thick trunk of the ancient tree!
Farga's heart raced. He knew he had to protect the forest. He quickly pulled his small wooden bow from his belt and aimed carefully towards the prince‘s sword.
Whoosh! The arrow flew like lightning. It hit the prince's sword with a loud CLANG, knocking it right out of his hands. The prince turned pale with anger.
"Please, Your Highness! That tree is the forest spirit!" Farga cried. But the angry prince yelled, "I don't care!" He grabbed his sword and started chopping again.
"Stop! You are hurting it!" Farga shouted. The ancient tree shook wildly. Clear sap leaked from the deep cuts, falling just like silent, glowing tears.
Farga wanted to run up and stop the prince, but he was too small to fight a strong, stubborn knight.
Suddenly, the ground rumbled! The ancient tree had had enough. Its giant branches twisted and turned into thick, powerful vines that swept through the air.
The vines wrapped together, forming a tight wooden cage. The proud prince was trapped inside! "Help me!" he cried out, startled by the tree's magic.
Word of the trapped prince reached the castle. The Queen paced back and forth in her grand hall, her heart heavy with worry for her son.
The Queen sent her bravest warriors to the forest. They charged at the ancient tree with their swords raised high, ready to chop down the vine cage.
But the ancient tree was not afraid. It gently swung its massive vines, sweeping the knights off their feet and tossing them softly onto the grass.
Desperate, the Queen posted a royal notice: "Whoever saves the prince will become a knight and receive one hundred shiny gold coins!"
Farga read the notice in town. He didn't care about gold or titles. He only wanted to save the prince and bring peace back to the forest.
Farga returned to the forest alone. He walked up to the ancient tree, touched its bark gently, and whispered, "Grandpa Tree, please don't be angry anymore."