This is about Obernaft, a kid who’s always getting into little messes with his friends Tia and Sam. Obernaft learns some big lessons from these old stories—the Needle Tree, the Gingerbread Man, the Oak Tree, and the Reeds. It’s all tied to his day, like not thanking Sam for candy help or bragging about a good grade. I’ll go through each story, what happens, why it’s important, and what Obernaft gets out of it. Super relatable, especially for kids or anyone who needs a nudge to be nicer or humbler. Let’s start!
The Needle Tree: Being Thankful Changes Everything
So, there’s these two brothers—the older one’s a bully, always stealing food from the younger one, taking his desserts, even hitting him sometimes. One winter, the big brother goes to the forest for firewood. He collects a pile, but instead of bringing it home, he sells it and buys himself pudding. Selfish much?
On the way back, he’s chopping branches for no reason, just because. He finds this amazing golden tree and starts hacking at it. The tree talks! “Don’t cut me, and I’ll give you golden apples.” The brother agrees, but when he gets just a few apples, he’s pissed and threatens to cut the tree down. The tree drops tons of needles on him, and he’s on the ground, hurting bad.
The little brother waits at home, gets worried when it’s dark, and goes looking. He finds his brother and carefully pulls out every needle, being super kind. The older brother sees that and says he’s sorry, promises to be better. The tree notices the change and gives them apples for life.
This story’s awesome because it shows how being mean can bite you back, but kindness can fix things. Obernaft realizes he’s like the older brother when he doesn’t thank Sam for helping win candy sticks. He learns to be grateful, or you end up with “needles” instead of apples. Perfect for anyone who forgets to say thanks—kids, adults, whoever. Makes you think twice about taking stuff for granted.
The Gingerbread Man: Don’t Run Too Fast or Trust Too Quick
This one’s fun and a bit scary! An old couple bakes a gingerbread man, and as soon as he’s done, he jumps out, yells “Don’t eat me!” and runs off through the window.
The couple chases him, but he’s fast. A pig sees him and wants a bite, joins the chase. Then a cow, then a horse—all hungry and running after him. Each time, the gingerbread man laughs, “You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!”
He hits a river and stops—water would make him mushy. A fox shows up, acts nice, says “Hop on my head, I’ll take you across.” The cookie does it because he’s scared of the water. On the other side, the fox flips him up and eats him. Boom, gone.
It’s a warning about being too cocky and trusting the wrong folks. Obernaft hears it while eating cookies, jokes about them coming alive and getting eaten by a wolf. Makes him careful. Great for kids who love adventures but need to learn about tricks. Or anyone who runs from problems without thinking—sometimes the “helper” is the real danger.
The Oak Tree and the Reeds: Stay Humble or Break
This is a nature story that’s so true. A big oak tree by a river brags to some reeds about how strong he is. “Nothing can break me!” The reeds say, “Don’t be proud, everything ends, be modest.”
The oak mocks them for bending in the wind. Then a huge storm comes. The reeds bow low, go with the flow, stay safe. The oak stands tall, fights it, and snaps, falling into the river.
The reeds win by being flexible. Obernaft learns this after getting an A in English and thinking he doesn’t need to study for finals. Tia tells the story to show pride can lead to a fall—better to stay humble and keep trying.
Love this for anyone feeling too big for their boots. Teaches that bending isn’t weak; it’s smart. In life, storms come, and stubbornness can wreck you, while humility saves the day.
What Obernaft (and We) Take Away
Obernaft’s little moments—like not sharing candy, imagining live cookies, or bragging about grades—tie perfectly to these stories. Gratitude from the Needle Tree, caution from the Gingerbread Man, humility from the Oak and Reeds. They’re old tales, but they hit home because they’re simple. If you’re telling these to kids or just thinking about your own life, they’re gold. Obernaft ends up better for it, and maybe we can too. Got a story like this that changed you? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear!
