In another of his metaphorical descriptions of trauma, Hans Sande takes up the topic of puberty and growth. The Norwegian storyteller symbolizes the age of adolescence and the infinite changes that one goes through. As the story begins, a child falls sick after swallowing plums. He gradually believes that a tree is growing from within him, sprouting through his fingertips and his mouth. He stops eating and instead gulps water. He steps out into the garden and feels that his skin is turning into bark. His feet sprout roots. The boy becomes a miracle of a human changing into a tree, with leaves, buds, flowers, branches and roots. Soon, he stops talking and stands still in the garden. At first, he is a sight of amazement and wonder for many, but eventually, seeks solace in his own company. After spending years away from his father, he returns, like a prodigal son.
The father of the boy is confused; his feelings shift from despair and horror to acceptance until he proudly shows off his son, now a strange creature in the garden. One day, the boy walks away to a cold place, far from human life. He stands in the cold, motionless and barely responding. Over time, a family comes to live near the tree and develops a close bond with it. They love the tree, and it loves them in return. The tree begins to listen to the people talking under its branches and gradually starts talking to the children’s family. His ability to talk is revealed to the adults. They ask him, ‘Do you wish to become a human being again?’ The family slowly helps him return to human form, ripping his roots, scraping his bark, and pulling and tugging at his branches. He returns to laughter and joy. He takes his time adjusting back to human life and plays with the children. One day, he walks back to his father. He is no longer ‘ill’, but his father’s son.
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