 Family Theater presents Mona Freeman and Jean Lockhart from Hollywood the Mutual Network in cooperation with family theater Presents Jean Lockhart in the story of Little Tree to introduce the drama your hostess Mona Freeman Thank You Tony Loprano Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives If we are to win peace for ourselves Peace for our families and peace for the world Family Theater urges you to pray pray together as a family Tonight family theater takes great pleasure in presenting the story of Little Tree starring Jean Lockhart as grandpa I was telling you about Hold on a minute now Betty that that creek isn't going anywhere. Let us still be there whether we run or walk That depends on your age Right now to be fun for me to sit down rest a bit How old are you anyway grandma? I'm old enough to know better Know better than to take any of these Sunday hikes with you young lady Now where is this brook? You're telling me about right over here Just over this bank. Oh, oh, yes. Well, what a perfect spot to rest Rest again again. Well, when did we rest the first time? Well, you were talking about it just a minute ago Well, suppose we do it this time Now this looks like a good place Now This is more like it Grandpa Can I wait in the water? No, you better not today Betty. You remember we know we had to promise your mother We'd be careful not to mess up your good clothes Shucks. Why does everyone have to get all dressed up just because it's Easter? Well, this is a very special day, but people dress up because they're glad it's Easter. I'm not glad I'd rather go waiting. You ought to be glad why even nature gets all dressed up for this occasion. Oh Why yes, just look around you Flowers are all budding beginning to bloom the grass is green for the first time this winter And the trees are full of young leaves. I spent in nature knows it's Easter Oh, how good grass or trees know about Easter my honey a tree probably knows more about Easter than any living thing That's right. I just look at it. See all those little leaves They all face upwards towards the Sun. Do you know why they turn that way? Our teacher says they turn up so they can get the Sun. Well, she's correct They need the sunshine to grow and there's another reason to if you care to hear. Oh, yes Now you just settle down beside me here and I'll tell you how a tree knows about Easter Is this a true story grandpa? Well, you won't find it written in any history book, but nobody said it didn't happen this way Well, this is about a tree that lived many many years ago It's a land that's quite away from where you and I are sitting now like in the other tree This little fella sprouted from a tiny seed and began to grow He could hardly wait for the day when he'd be able to push his head up out of the ground So the little tree rested and gathered his strength for the big day and finally he felt he could make So bracing himself on his tiny roots. He gave a mighty push And he popped out of the ground like a jack-of-the-box For a few minutes the bright sunlight dazzled the young tree, but when he got used to it He looked around. Oh, he was so pleased He was growing on top of the hill with a wonderful view of the countryside Not far away. He could see a small town and nearby a high road running into the town And he started to look into the other direction when suddenly he was startled by a voice that boomed out Hello there little tree and he looked up quickly and there towering above him Just a few yards away was a huge tree smiling down on him Hey, you must be a thousand feet tall No, not quite. I'm afraid. I figure I'm only about 40 feet But that's high enough I guess for I'm good and strong and that's what really counts guys Well, I ever grow as tall as you I sure you will before you know it too Just get plenty of sunshine and send your roots down deep and get lots of nourishment from the earth Oh, I will I'll do anything you say because I want to grow up and be big just like you I'll teach you everything I know and do all I can to help you get a good start and the big tree was as good as his word He told his young friend everything a young tree ought to know He told him how to begin keeping his diary as all trees do by making a mark around his trunk You mean that all us trees keep a diary. Why I never heard of such a thing I guess There are a lot of things you never heard of my little friend, but how do you do it and why oh, it's easy enough to do You just make a mark in the wood of your trunk recording the years events these form rings Well, that's stay with you forever for the rings. They can tell how much you've grown during a year They can tell if there's been lots of rain during a year or if it's been dry and Almost everything that anyone would want to know about you There's more to this growing business and then just standing here isn't there? Yes, but you'll catch all all right besides. I'll be here to help you. You ever need it. Gee. Thanks, friend tree You've helped me a lot already Yeah, I should I hope I can remember all the things I'm supposed to Well the days went by and little tree grew like a We by now he was almost six inches high and the big tree looked back for him like a mother Every night he'd keep watch over his little friend until little tree was asleep And then the big tree too would relax and fall asleep But one night while they were sleeping a great storm broke over the land Rain spilled over the hilltop as if dumped out of giant buckets and little tree woke with a start and was seized with panic He could feel himself being torn from the earth by the rushing waters Still was quite young and his roots weren't Strong enough to hold him against the torrents of water and it would be called practically to his Big tree was sound asleep. He enjoyed a good rain And to him the wind and the rain were like a lullaby and then the howling gust of wind swept over the hill Bending little tree almost to the ground and as he straightened up he shouted once more with all his might And this time his big friend heard him and looked down He saw the danger and he quickly grew some of his biggest branches into position over a little tree forming a great Driving range You'll make it Don't try to fight the wind Way with the wind Way with it like me. What's the All right now the storm is dying down. That was a close one. All right Guys, I I've never been so scared in all my life Yes, I believe you were while you turned white as a birch tree Well, it didn't take long for little tree to recover from the storm and his time passed He developed he developed into a beautiful tree Actually, he wasn't such a small tree anymore But his big friend still called him little tree and the name seemed to stink as he grew up Little tree began to think more and more of what might happen to him when he would be of value as lumber And he and the big tree would wonder about it by the hour and yes, I've been thinking about it for years little tree I'd like to be made into an ox cart and travel about the country I'd like to see what's beyond those hills in the distance I can't decide what I'd like to do You know Being made into an ox cart would be kind of fun at that I hope you get your wish old friend. Well, I have hope See that rickety old ox cart coming along the road there now Yes, it looks like it's about ready to fall apart. That's what I mean That man has had that old cart for almost 20 years now. He's ready for a new one The last time we used the lumber of Martha poetry Live down in the valley there her lumber was never too good though Poor Martha always did have naughty limbs But But why do we have to be cut on and made of something at all? Why can't we just keep growing here like we are? Well, maybe we will you see the little tree I believe that everything on earth is put here for some reason Now maybe it's meant for us to just grow here and furnish a nice shady resting place for the people traveling along that road Or maybe we'll be made into something but everything has a purpose in being here Shucks, then what good are those pesky little bugs that bother us all the time. Well now don't forget it While they annoy us their food for the birds Yes, I I guess you're right as usual Well, the big tree got his wish sooner than he expected for a few weeks later The man who owned the old ox cart came there with saws and axes to cut down the big tree At last he was going to be made into something to help people Little tree was sorry to lose his friend But the big tree was so happy that little tree found himself feeling happy too Well, goodbye old friend I'll wave to you every time you pass by the roadway. Goodbye little tree. Take good care of yourself Maybe I'll see you in a big building somewhere Goodbye And the man hauled the big tree away toward the town and little tree was left alone on the hill Well the years went by and little tree became a familiar landmark on the hilltop By now he'd grown quite large and the people of the town always stopped to rest in the cool shady cast for them He was happy But he felt that he was performing a useful service in offering a shady rest haven for the travelers along the road and then One quiet night a strange thing happened Little tree was awakened from his sleep by an odd sound It seemed that he could hear music and yet it was music such as he'd never heard before It was almost as if the angels themselves were singing and then Looking upward He saw the brightest star that ever shone Lighting up the heavens Little tree's leaves were as a thousand eyes and he turned them all to watch The star seemed to cast a light down on one small village some distance away He'd heard people speak of the village. It was called Bethlehem Little tree didn't know or understand what had happened this night But a wonderful calm seemed to settle over the land which made him feel that all was right with the world Well Betty the years went happily on for little tree By this time he was a full-grown beautiful tree His trunk was hard and his limbs ferned and his leaves were the greenest of any tree for miles around From all he was happy But he still couldn't help wondering if he would ever be cut down and made into something useful I guess it's natural to want to be something other than what you are It's nice here on this hilltop I have everything I need but I don't know I I'd still like to be made into something really useful Maybe a bridge to carry people across some great river or maybe a huge temple somewhere And then too it would be nice to be made into an ox cart like my old friend And get to travel all over the country But I wouldn't care what it was Just as long it was something to help people Oh, well, maybe someday my turn will come But men seemed quite content to let little tree continue his duties as a shade tree Every day dozens of people would stop to rest beneath his limbs Then one day A small group of men stopped to rest in the shade under his branches This was a common occurrence, but somehow little tree was attracted to one of the travelers He was dressed as any other man, but there was something in his face Something about his quiet manner that set him apart from the other men And of all the hundred who had stopped to rest at his feet This man was the very first to ever pause to admire little tree and to remark on what a fine tree he was He watched them as they talked and when they finally moved on down the road He thought about them long after they'd gone and he thought especially about the one with the kind face One evening as little tree was preparing to settle himself for the night He saw a great storm gathering in the distance Huge black clouds had already blotted out the sun and the wind swished through his branches warning the birds to take cover This looks like a real storm so little tree thought to himself. Oh, well storms don't frighten me anymore I just hope it doesn't blow so hard that it keeps me awake The storm came up quickly thunder boomed the lightning lit up the sky And suddenly at the height of the storm a streak of lightning seared it away from a cloud And struck little tree with He was stunned his trunk was split split almost in two by the blast He felt the burn to the very tip of his roots And when he was able to move again He gathered all his strength and tried to hold himself together to last out the storm He knew he could do nothing to repair the damage of the morning. He was too weak And gradually the storm died away and morning dawned over a clear sky All the earth was wet and fresh and glistening It was a lovely day But little tree couldn't enjoy it He looked at himself in misery His trunk was split split by a charred black hole and the burns still ate all through him Oh, if only someone would find up my trunk with a rope or something to close that terrible gap I know it was healed Won't someone please help me, but no one offered to help little tree And as the weeks became months little tree grew weaker and weaker His leaves began to wither and drop away until his once beautiful foliage was all but gone Little tree began to give up all hope of ever recovering No one seemed to care whether he lived or not One evening toward dusk little tree noticed a lone man approaching along the road Even in the twilight he recognized him at once It was the man with the kind face Who had admired him that day so long ago He seemed weary and troubled and he slumped to the ground to rest Little tree watched as the man did a strange thing He rose to his knees Turned his face toward the heavens Closed his eyes as if he were sleeping And yet little tree knew he wasn't asleep And so all through the night he watched him puzzled Just before dawn the man arose and prepared to leave But then he seemed to notice little tree for the first time And he looked at him for a long while Little tree wished that he could make himself disappear For he imagined the man must be remembering what a beautiful tree he was when they last met As he watched the man placed his hands over the charred hole in the tree trunk Little tree felt completely relaxed for the first time in months And as his visitor walked away toward the town he fell fast asleep The next morning he awoke with a start A great crowd, a crowd of people had gathered around him They were looking at him and pointing and little tree looked at himself Just to see why he was so suddenly such an oddity And then he looked again Oh, he was amazing He was exactly as he had been before the storm His trunk was whole and all his leaves were there Everything about him was just as it had been in his most beautiful days He listened to the people on the road Yes, and little tree agreed It was indeed a miracle And so life was happy once again for little tree And he became the popular landmark on the hilltop once more With passes by always stopping to rest in his shade Yet somehow in spite of his own happiness There was an easy tension in the air Little tree couldn't understand it People stood about in small groups muttering to themselves and arguing One day several men with saws stopped before little tree and began to look at him from all sides Little tree thought surely his big day had come at last and he shouted to the birds in his branches At last, at last I'm going to be made into something Oh, and it'll be something wonderful. I just know it will But instead of instead of setting their saws in his trunk The men climbed into his branches and they sawed off one of his biggest limbs And carried it away with him Little tree was perplexed. He couldn't understand He couldn't understand what they would want to make with just one limb He wondered about it all that evening and the next day It was still puzzling him when he noticed a large procession coming along the road There were many soldiers and hundreds of men and women And as they drew nearer the bark about his trunk stiffened and he stood still as stone For there, leading the procession Was the man with the kind face And then little tree knew what had happened to his limb It had been used to make a wooden cross Time and again the man stumbled and fell under the weight of the great cross The mob threw stones and made fun of him Here, master, here, let me help you Here, there, away with you Please, it's too heavy for one man Let me help him He needs no help He is king, he is god, or so he says Let him call forth his angels if he needs help All right, along with you, king We haven't all day for this business Come, maybe a few more stones will hurry him along As little tree watched the procession reach the top of the next hill He could scarce believe his eyes There on the hill he saw three crosses And as one of them they had nailed the man with the kind face Little tree knew this must surely be the ugliest day in all the world's history For the first time in his life little tree cried He cried until all its leaves were wet from the tears And soon all the trees in the world heard what had happened And they cried too But they all knew of the wonderful thing the man had done for little tree And the willow trees shed such great tears They made its leaves droop to the ground Where they had stayed even to this day And then what happened, grandpa? Betty, for two whole days Not a bird sang Not a leaf stirred on a tree Not a cricket chirped It was as if the whole earth were dead But on the morning of the third day Oh, that morning was different Little tree could feel it from the moment he awoke The birds were singing The sunshine was warm The world was suddenly happy again And then later he knew why it was happy For there, walking along the road toward him With his faithful little band of followers Was the man the crowd had nailed to the cross The man called Jesus Little tree was so happy He waved his branches in the wind And his leaves all danced with joy He has come back He lives, he lives Little tree watched as the men stopped beside him And he listened as the man with a kind face Stoke to them for a long time And then, as he spoke He began to drift gently upward from the earth Into the sky Little tree turned all his leaves up To wazing thing, thing, thing And he suddenly had a feeling the man was leaving Leaving never to return And he cried out after him Please, please don't go Though he knew the man would never be able to hear him A tree speak And yet somehow the man did seem to hear For he turned to little tree and said Keep watch for me little tree For someday I shall return And with that he drifted further upward into the sun Until he seemed to be lifted into heaven itself And little tree did keep watch Each day he would turn all his leaves upward Toward the sun and follow it closely from dawn to sunset And soon all the other trees on earth heard of what had happened And they too turned their leaves upward Keeping watch with little trees And so it is that even today Every tree turns its leaves upward toward the sun Keeping watch as little tree first did centuries ago I want to frame it again You know, like the little tree in our story tonight We all like to feel we can be useful and helpful And one of the great joys in life is knowing that we're useful and helpful In an undertaking that's worthwhile None of us can be happy if we live only for ourselves Because the job of living comes from giving Yes, giving ourselves to something we know is bigger and better Worthier and more enduring than we are That's why the greatest joy in living is giving ourselves to God When a family joins together to give themselves to God and family prayer They are united in a joy and happiness that only family prayer can bring I guess we all know from experience that it's true Whatever we give to others comes back to us in some way or another And whatever we give to God comes back a hundred fold So let's give God a little time in our homes each day Let's take a little time out to join together with our family for family prayer Then we'll really know how true it is That the family that prays together stays together More things are rough by prayer than this world dreams of Well, Family Theater has brought you Gene Lockhart in the story of Little Tree Mono Freeman was your hostess Others in our cast were Francis X Bushman, Herbert Rawlinson and Whitfield Michael Edwards, Herbert Lytton and Howard Culver The script was written by William Lutz with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Joseph F. Mansfield This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who have so unselfishly given of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage to them and to you our humble thanks This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week at this same time When Family Theater will present Charles Culver and Gigi Farrell in A Pardon for Tiffy Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world in origination The Hollywood Studios of the World is the largest network the mutual broadcasting system