On a quiet hilltop stood an old olive tree that had opened its branches for many years to shelter the nest of a little sparrow named Zaytouna. The tree shielded her from the wind and gave her shade through the hot summer.

When autumn came and the tree’s leaves began falling one by one, the other sparrows mocked her, saying, «Why stay with an old tree that has lost its beauty? Come with us to the fresh green trees». But Zaytouna refused to leave the tree that had raised her.

All winter long, Zaytouna sang to the old tree every morning and gathered dewdrops from its remaining leaves, tending to it like a dear friend. The harsh winter passed, and the next spring, the tree bloomed again with a strength no one had seen before, bearing plentiful olives that never forgot its faithful friend.

The sparrows who had abandoned the tree returned looking for a new home, only to find Zaytouna thriving in the loveliest nest among branches heavy with fruit. She had learned that whoever stays loyal to a friend in hard times finds goodness waiting when spring blooms again.