One day, after being scolded for his misbehavior, the boy became angry and stormed out of the house. He wandered far away, refusing to return. His mother searched for him day after day, calling his name, but there was no trace of him. Meanwhile, the boy lived recklessly, stealing food when hungry and believing that life without his mother’s discipline was complete freedom. At times, he even thought, “How wonderful life would be if I never had a mother to scold me again.”
One afternoon, while wandering along the road, he saw a flock of ducks laying eggs in a shed. Out of boredom, he threw stones at the eggs, smashing many of them. The furious owner of the ducks chased him with a large stick. Terrified, the boy ran as fast as he could until he collapsed on the roadside, exhausted and starving. At that moment, he finally thought of home. “Only my mother truly loves me, worries for me, and protects me. I must go back.”
After many days of struggling, he finally returned to his village. The little cottage was still there, but strangely, his mother was nowhere to be found. Instead, in front of the house stood a large, unfamiliar tree. The boy called out desperately, “Mother, where are you? I am home!” There was no answer. Heartbroken, he sat by the tree and cried. Suddenly, the tree trembled and began to blossom and bear fruit. Shiny green fruits appeared, and one ripe fruit dropped into his hand.
Hungry, he bit into it, but the taste was so bitter that he spit it out. A second fruit fell, and when he tried again, he bit into the hard seed. Then came a third fruit. This time, he gently pressed and rolled it until a crack opened, releasing a stream of sweet white milk. He drank it eagerly, and to his surprise, the taste was warm and comforting, just like his mother’s milk.
What the boy did not know was that his mother, after crying for him day after day, had collapsed from exhaustion and turned into that very tree. Its rough bark was like her hardworking hands, its green leaves with red undersides like her tear-stained eyes. As the boy hugged the tree, he heard a gentle whisper in the rustling leaves: “You must taste the fruit three times to know its sweetness. Only when you grow up will you understand your mother’s love.” Realizing the truth, the boy burst into tears.
From that day on, the boy changed. He no longer caused trouble, but instead learned to value love, kindness, and family. He shared the fruit with others and told them the story of his mother’s sacrifice. People were touched, and they planted the seeds everywhere. That is how the star apple tree came to be, a living reminder of a mother’s boundless love.