[T]he Four Brothers
Relating how a baby with a diamond in his forehead grew
to be a man, and what he did for his brothers.
N the very heart of the jungle there stood a very old tree. It was older than any other tree there and had seen many wonderful things. It was very wise, too, and knew many secrets.
Every spring it put out fresh green leaves and lovely white blossoms, but one year the flowers were more beautiful than ever, and among them, on one of the lower branches, was a bud which hung there like a silver globe among the green leaves.
"I wonder why that bud is so much larger than the others," said the rose-apple tree, who had a great deal of curiosity.
"It holds a secret," replied the fig-tree, who was quite a gossip and loved to talk to the other trees.
"But when shall we know the secret?" asked the rose-apple tree.
"In the middle of the night there will be a thunder-storm and then the bud will open. You will see it by the lightning."