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This tale was collected by Dov Noy in the 1920s (story itself copyright Dov Noy's Institute) from a Romanian Jewish Woman. The translation from Hebrew was done by Israeli storyteller Yoel Perez, who gave the story to Laura, who edited the English version below. Jewish folktales from Romania are collected in the Israeli Archive of Folktales. One of the books published by the archive contains 13 stories of 4 storytellers from Romania, titled The Tree that Absorbed Tears. It is named after one of the Romanian stories in the collection, a simple story that I like very much. The first tree illustration is copyright 2000 Juliet Pegrum. -- Laura Simms

The Tree that Absorbed Tears

Told by Rachel Iizikowich to Yaakov Avizuk

“Today I surfed the net looking for roots, and what I’ve found made me very happy. I am the son of Ya’akov
Avizuk and the grandson of Rachel Itzkovitz. You made me really happy, and I wish to thank you from my
heart.” -- Moshe Avitsuk 12/10/07

A daughter married and moved to a distant village to live with her husband. The life of the girl was very bitter. She had no luck and what luck does not give also mind cannot change.

Once the mother visited her daughter. She saw how terrible her life was. She wanted to talk with her, but was afraid to do it at home in case the husband will hear. So, she asked her daughter to go out with her. They went and went until they arrived at the nearest forest.

In the forest  they stood under a young and beautiful tree. “Tell me my what lies heavy on your heart. Tell me and relieve your sorrow,” said the mother. There the girl cried as she told  her secrets and  poured her heart out to her mother.

Said the mother: “Listen to me, I cannot come and visit you every week. I beg you, instruct you and command you to come and tell this tree once a week all that you have passed during the week.

The daughter promised to do it.

After a while the mother visited her daughter once again.. She was glad to see the change in her daughter’s  face.

She asked her: “Is it true that your life now is better then before and you don’t suffer so much?”

“No, mommy. Nothing has changed in my life.”

“And why  does your face look so much better?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let us go to the forest.” said the mother.

Walking together the girl said,  “Once a week I go to the forest to that tree and tell him everything, and then the heavy burden of suffering leaves my heart.”

When they came to the tree they saw that it is almost dry. They understood that the tears and suffering of the daughter absorbed by the tree and made it dry.

[This is the tale of the TREE THAT ABSORBED SORROW as Yoel translated it with my edits. -- Laura Simms]
 

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