The Giggle Tree

It was a warm, breezy afternoon when Mia and her best friend, Jonah, wandered to the edge of the meadow. That’s where they spotted the odd-looking tree. It wasn’t taller than the others, and its shape was unremarkable, but the sound it made was something else. Every time the wind blew, the tree’s leaves rustled together, creating a soft, unmistakable giggle.

“Do you hear that?” Mia asked, stopping in her tracks.

Jonah tilted his head, listening. The breeze picked up again, and the sound came—a gentle, playful laugh, as though the tree were amused by their presence. “Okay, that’s weird,” he said, stepping closer. “It’s like the tree is laughing at us.”

Mia grinned. “Maybe it is. Or maybe we’re imagining things.”

“I don’t think so,” Jonah replied, crouching down to examine the base of the tree. The bark shimmered faintly in the sunlight, its surface smoother and lighter than any tree they’d seen before.

At the base of the trunk, they found a small metal plaque embedded in the ground. Jonah wiped off the dirt to reveal the inscription:
The Giggle Tree: When life gets tough, remember to laugh.

“What does that even mean?” Jonah asked, furrowing his brow. “It’s just a tree.”

“Maybe it’s trying to remind us to lighten up,” Mia said, sitting down beneath its shade. “Think about it. When was the last time you really laughed?”

Jonah scratched his head. “I don’t know. It’s been a while, I guess. Everything’s been so busy lately, it’s hard to find time to relax.”

“Exactly,” Mia said, leaning against the smooth bark. “I’ve been feeling the same way. School, deadlines, everything… It’s like I’ve been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

Jonah sat beside her, plucking a blade of grass and twirling it between his fingers. “Yeah, it’s like we’re so caught up in the little things, we forget how to enjoy ourselves.”

Just then, another gust of wind rustled the tree’s leaves. The laughter returned, soft and contagious. Mia and Jonah looked at each other and burst out laughing. It wasn’t just a chuckle, but a deep, unrestrained laughter that made their stomachs ache.

“Okay, this tree is something else,” Jonah said between fits of giggles. “I don’t know how it does it, but it’s working.”

Mia wiped a tear from her eye, still laughing. “Maybe it’s magic, or maybe it’s just the wind playing tricks on us. Either way, it feels good to laugh again.”

As the sun dipped lower, they finally stood up, feeling lighter than they had in weeks. Mia brushed off her jeans and placed a hand on the tree trunk. “Thanks, Giggle Tree. I think I needed this.”

Jonah chuckled. “Yeah, me too. We should come back here the next time life gets a little too heavy.”

“Deal,” Mia said, smiling. “Because sometimes, you just need to laugh it off.”

They walked back through the meadow, the sound of the tree’s laughter fading gently behind them. And for the first time in a long time, the world didn’t seem so heavy.

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Pick up – To increase or improve.

  • Example: “The breeze picked up again, and the sound came.”

Wipe off – To clean or remove something.

  • Example: “Jonah wiped off the dirt to reveal the inscription.”

Lighten up – To relax and stop worrying.

  • Example: “Maybe it’s trying to remind us to lighten up.”

Brush off – To clean by lightly sweeping.

  • Example: “Mia brushed off her jeans and placed a hand on the tree trunk.”

Laugh it off – To deal with a problem by laughing instead of being upset.

  • Example: “Because sometimes, you just need to laugh it off.”

 

Phrasal Verb Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correctPhrasal Verb

  1. As the breeze ________, the sound of the giggling tree became louder.

  2. Jonah carefully ________ the dirt to read the words on the plaque.

  3. Maybe the tree is trying to remind us to ________ and enjoy life more.

  4. Mia ________ her jeans after sitting on the ground near the tree.

  5. Instead of worrying, they decided to ________ and focus on having fun.

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Picked up

  2. Wiped off

  3. Lighten up

  4. Brushed off

  5. Laugh it off

 

Idioms & Example Sentences

Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders – Feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities.

  • Example: “It’s like I’ve been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

Caught up – Being overly involved in something.

  • Example: “We’re so caught up in the little things, we forget how to enjoy ourselves.”

Feel lighter – To feel relieved or less burdened.

  • Example: “They finally stood up, feeling lighter than they had in weeks.”

Play tricks on someone – To deceive or confuse.

  • Example: “Maybe it’s just the wind playing tricks on us.”

Laugh it off – To respond to trouble with humor.

  • Example: “Because sometimes, you just need to laugh it off.”

Idioms Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct Idiom

  1. Lately, I’ve felt like I’ve been ________, with so much to do and no time to relax.

  2. We’re often ________ in small problems and forget to enjoy the good things in life.

  3. After their chat by the tree, they stood up, ________ than they had in weeks.

  4. The wind made a sound that seemed to ________, confusing them for a moment.

  5. They decided to ________ instead of letting small things bother them.

Answers: Idioms

  1. Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders

  2. Caught up

  3. Feeling lighter

  4. Play tricks on someone

  5. Laugh it off

 

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. Where do Mia and Jonah discover the Giggle Tree?
    a. In the middle of a forest
    b. At the edge of a meadow
    c. In their backyard
    d. By a riverbank

  2. What makes the Giggle Tree unusual?
    a. Its leaves sparkle in the sunlight.
    b. Its leaves produce a giggling sound when the wind blows.
    c. Its bark is unusually thick and dark.
    d. It grows in an unusual spiral shape.

  3. What is written on the metal plaque at the base of the tree?
    a. “Keep Smiling: Life is Beautiful.”
    b. “The Giggle Tree: When life gets tough, remember to laugh.”
    c. “Nature’s Wonders: A Place to Reflect.”
    d. “Laughter is the Best Medicine.”

  4. What does Jonah admit about his recent feelings?
    a. He feels overwhelmed by responsibilities and hasn’t laughed in a while.
    b. He feels excited about school but misses his friends.
    c. He enjoys nature and finds it calming.
    d. He is content and has no worries.

  5. What does Mia say she feels like she has been carrying?
    a. The weight of the world on her shoulders
    b. A heavy backpack
    c. A list of endless tasks
    d. An invisible burden

  6. How do Mia and Jonah react to the tree’s laughter?
    a. They feel confused and leave immediately.
    b. They try to figure out the science behind it.
    c. They burst into deep, unrestrained laughter.
    d. They sit in silence, feeling peaceful.

  7. What effect does the Giggle Tree have on Mia and Jonah?
    a. It inspires them to write a story.
    b. It reminds them to slow down and enjoy life.
    c. It encourages them to explore the meadow further.
    d. It makes them question their priorities.

  8. What do Mia and Jonah decide about visiting the tree in the future?
    a. They plan to return whenever life feels heavy.
    b. They decide to bring other friends to see the tree.
    c. They agree to study the tree for a school project.
    d. They decide to plant a similar tree near their home.

  9. What does Mia thank the tree for?
    a. Helping her reconnect with Jonah
    b. Making her laugh and feel lighter
    c. Providing shade on a hot day
    d. Showing her something magical

  10. What does the story suggest about laughter?
    a. It can be forced to feel better.
    b. It has the power to lighten life’s burdens.
    c. It is only meaningful when shared with others.
    d. It is difficult to find in stressful times.

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. b - At the edge of a meadow

  2. b - Its leaves produce a giggling sound when the wind blows

  3. b - “The Giggle Tree: When life gets tough, remember to laugh.”

  4. a - He feels overwhelmed by responsibilities and hasn’t laughed in a while

  5. a - The weight of the world on her shoulders

  6. c - They burst into deep, unrestrained laughter

  7. b - It reminds them to slow down and enjoy life

  8. a - They plan to return whenever life feels heavy

  9. b - Making her laugh and feel lighter

  10. b - It has the power to lighten life’s burdens

Thought Provoking Question

  • Do you believe the tree’s laughter was really “just the wind,” or could it symbolize something more?

  • What does it mean to you, and why?