Life Skills & Value Education – CLASS-V – UNIT-6 Body Shaming (Morals & Values)

 Bamboo and the Crooked Tree

“What we do is more important than how we look”

Once upon a time, there lived a bamboo tree and a crooked tree. Both lived next to each other in the jungles of the mighty Himalayan mountains, next to the holy river Ganga. Both were born and grew around the bountiful Ganga and the magnificent peaks of Bhagirathi. But they were sworn enemies and hated each other like a weasel and a snake. The reason for their hatred was their appearance. The bamboo tree was straight, tall and strong like an iron pole. The crooked tree, on the other hand, was fragile and had thin branches that looked scary. He looked like a scarecrow. The bamboo tree would, time and again, bully the crooked tree for being weak and ugly. He would body shame the crooked tree. You are worthless and as skinny as grass!” This was the bamboo tree’s favourite line when addressing the crooked tree. The crooked tree listened helplessly to his boastfulness. He was fed up. But what could he do?

Unlike birds and animals, he could neither fly nor run away from the bully. He had no choice but to bear with him.

One day a flock of tired and thirsty birds landed on the banks of the bountiful Ganga. After quenching their thirst, they perched on the sharp but soft branches of the crooked tree to rest. They knew that no snake could climb them and that all of them were safe while they rested.

A little sparrow from the flock noticed that the crooked tree was sad. She asked him the reason for his sadness. The crooked tree said, “I am good for nothing. Nobody likes me. The bamboo tree is so strong and handsome, and I am so weak and ugly. I wish I were like him.” The sparrow was surprised, and so were all the other birds of the flock. She asked, “Who told you that you are good for nothing?” All his branches, shaking in the wind, pointed towards the bamboo tree.

The bamboo tree became alert, and listened to what they were talking about. The little sparrow said, “The bamboo tree is egoistic. All he can think about is himself. He has a big ego. You are one of the most generous and helpful trees. You are special. He is tall but has no branches. He may be handsome and strong, but what good is he to us? All birds that come to quench their thirst rest on your safe branches. Some even make nests on them. You are our hero.” Everyone in the flock nodded. The bamboo tree realised that he had never thought this way about the crooked tree. He understood his mistake.

He apologised to the crooked tree for his bad behaviour. The crooked tree forgave him and they both decided that they were different. It is okay to be different and it is not same as being unequal. Since then, bamboo trees and crooked trees are good friends all over the world.

ACTIVITY

LET’S FIND OUT: There are many plants that we think are of no use. Find out about any one such plant and write about its uses.

THINK ABOUT IT…………. Humiliating others on their physical appearance in front of others is called body shaming. For example, telling a person that they are too fat- as fat as a hippo; too skinny – as skinny as grass; or that their legs are too thin – as thin as a match stick. Body shaming is a kind of bullyin

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