Bartholomew looked up at the old apple tree and wondered about the big red beautiful apples at the top. "Every time they fall...they bounce on the limbs...then hit the ground and get bruised," he thought.
He put his hand under his chin and said to himself,"If I could make the apples float down...like a parachute...yes...like a parachute!"
Bartholomew was only eight years old but he was quite a wizard for his age....he could make the apples float...yes...why not?
He gathered zucchini leaves fresh from vines. Strings from the green beans would make perfect twines. Eyes from potatoes so the apples could see. " Perfect, ...said Bartholomew,...perfect they'll be! "
He sat a big black pot... down on the ground. Tossed in an arm load....with more things he found. Soap from the laundry...sneaked out the door. A hand full of gummy bears...oh..maybe one more?
He mixed in some water and shouted out NOW!. Oinks from the pigs and moos from the cows. He called all the chickens to give him some clucks. Heehees from the horses and quacks from the ducks.
All of the animals added their wishes. Even the fish pond...gave splashes from fishes. Mice giving squeaks....barks from the dogs. Cats with meeows....croaks from the frogs
Bartholomew thanked them and mixed it all up. He chanted "Oh fruit tree...drink from this cup. One of the big roots ripped from the grass. Crept to the black pot and drank it so fast.
Everyone waited as time tickled by. It grew and it stretched out... it grew up so high! The top of the old tree was touching the clouds. "Jump down you apples"...Bartholomew cried out!
Hundreds of tree roots came up and crawled. Chasing the animals.... swallowing them all. Bartholomew ran from a root with no chance. He went up through the tree trunk....right through a branch.
He plopped in an apple as big as a shed. A glassy clear bubble...tinted with red. Horses and brown cows floated by him. In big apple bubbles...with parachute stems. Cats, ducks and chickens...mice, dogs and geese. Waved at Bartholomew...dancing with glee!
Bartholomew reached up and pulled a green string. Broke loose his apple...it boinged like a spring. He sailed and he floated...then landed so soft. Poof like a soap sud...the apple just popped.
Everything living from so far and wide ... Came to the old tree just for a ride.
He could have made riches ...charged them a fee
He just smiled..... and welcomed all....to Bartholomew's tree.
