The Tree of Courage

Synopsis

Mameta is a five-year-old boy living with his grandfather, known for his extreme shyness. Each night when he needs to use the outdoor toilet, he wakes his grandfather to come along, frightened by the shadow of a large horse-chestnut tree in the yard. His grandfather explains that every November 20, a single courageous child sees a light inside the tree. Despite this story, Mameta remains afraid until one evening when his grandfather suffers sudden, severe abdominal pain. Overcoming his fear, Mameta runs barefoot down the mountain to fetch a doctor. On the return trip, the doctor carries Mameta, allowing him to glimpse the light in the tree from above. Yet Mameta still asks his grandfather to accompany him during nighttime outhouse visits. The story imparts its message through the grandfather’s words: “Never think you are weak or timid; as long as your heart is filled with care, you will discover you can do what must be done.”