The Legend of Olive Tree

Once upon a time, the island and its people were very poor but they were happy and generous towards each other. Time passed and the people became very greedy and selfish, they stopped helping each other and looked only to themselves. The rich became richer and the poor became poorer.

The gods looked down and did not like what they saw. Life was so bad that one of the gods decided to go down to earth in disguise and the first person who showed any sign of goodness would be granted anything they wished.

So, dressed as a beggar, he went from town to town, village to village. At each door he was turned away with abuse. After walking for many days and many miles, he came upon a lonely farmhouse. The god half expected to be turned away and was surprised when the couple invited him inside. On looking around he could see that they were very poor indeed, but apologizing for their humble home, they invited him to stay for supper and offered him a straw bed for the night. Again they apologized for the frugal food but they were happy to share what they had.

The next morning, the god revealed himself and said, for their kindness he would grant them anything they wished, expecting to be asked for the better materialistic things in life such as wealth and riches, he was astounded when they replied, as we have shared our lives together that when the time came, we want to die together and be buried in the same grave, so as not to be left alone.

So, when the time came their wish was granted.

Therefore, when you look at the OLIVE TREE, you will notice that the trunk comes out of the ground and invariably breaks away into two trunks – that is because when the couple were buried the god planted a seed in their grave and it grew one trunk for the husband and one for the wife.
Read less