"CHESTNUT The

people who moved into the new apartment building district quickly became accustomed to the idea of finally being home. Years of discomfort and the struggles to secure a long-awaited apartment faded into oblivion, replaced by a sense of self-confidence, self-belief, and a drive for further success.

Spring was approaching when some of them noticed that the square, amidst the new apartment buildings, was littered with piles of construction debris. Previously, preoccupied with the pursuit of shelter, they would never have paid any attention to this debris; now, settled in, they couldn't bear the sight of a garbage dump emerging from beneath the snow.

At one of the meetings of the neighborhood committee, it was decided, in celebration of the upcoming national holiday, to tidy up the square as a community effort. Representatives from the individual apartment buildings present at the meeting also proposed that residents of each building plant a young tree. The proposal was well-received and received with applause. The delegates only disagreed on the species of trees to purchase, so the decision was handed over to the residents, who resolved the matter by majority vote.

Soon, the filigree trees stood tall in the grass-covered square. The residents carefully tended them, watering them during the summer drought, wrapping them in straw in the fall to prevent rabbits from eating them, and pruning and grafting them in the spring to prevent them from going wild.

Watching their daily, tedious activity, one had the joyful impression that, while everyone was determined to make their tree the largest and most beautiful, at the same time, no one forgot the harmonious beauty of the entire park.

For these reasons, the fact that one of the trees – a chestnut – was growing significantly faster than the others initially raised no suspicions. On the contrary, the rapidly climbing natural phenomenon generated enormous interest and sympathy. In May, when it filled the entire neighborhood, kindergarten children came to see it; Scouts passionate about nature and environmental protection would gather there, and every sunny afternoon, activists from the League, the most important and largest organization that had governed the town since time immemorial, would meet there. It's impossible not to mention here that the building whose residents voted to purchase the chestnut tree housed the president and prominent members of the League. Jealous residents of other apartment buildings also surreptitiously observed it, but these were few. Official delegations from the National Council, as well as numerous tour groups from the surrounding area, would also occasionally visit the chestnut tree.

From time to time, however, one heard rumors in the neighborhood that the chestnut tree's rapid growth was a mystery. Unofficially, its caretakers were accused of using chemicals banned in tree cultivation because of their supposedly negative impact on the biological environment. However, few believed these rumors, and people, as always absorbed in raising children, painting apartments, buying new furniture, and ultimately making money, paid little attention to them anyway. Only pensioners and retirees regularly discussed the matter, observing the phenomenal tree with reserve.

Several years passed. In the case of any other tree, this information would have been meaningless and certainly would not have been included in this text. It is known, even from school science classes, that all trees develop rather slowly, therefore the relatively minor changes the chestnut tree should have undergone during this time would not have been noteworthy. However, this

was not the case. Taking advantage of the favorable climate, and perhaps also other, as yet unknown, advances in modern horticultural science, the chestnut tree grew before its eyes and soon dominated its neighbors. It was truly impressive now, especially when a gentle breeze stirred its countless leaves. It produced such a haunting rustling sound that people stopped in their tracks, as if suddenly hearing the national anthem played by a military band.

It was impossible to ignore, however, that a growing number of people, alongside their delight, simultaneously experienced a sense of surprise, even concern. Residents of apartment buildings whose trees had stagnated and were beginning to wither, noticed that the chestnut tree was to blame, blocking their access to the sun. Still others complained that the branches were breaking windowpanes, while the estate administration cautiously informed the League that the chestnut tree's roots were damaging the underground electrical and sewage systems. To make matters worse, birds nesting in the tree's crown polluted the lawn, and the constant, loud chirping and unpleasant odor that permeated the surrounding area prevented workers from resting.

Day by day, among a significant portion of the district's residents, yesterday's delight turned into growing dissatisfaction. They wondered what could have caused the chestnut tree's astonishing growth, even more so when someone announced that they had discovered the methods used to achieve it—obviously, in their opinion, illegal. And from there, it was only a short step to almost philosophical considerations about what was actually more important: a single tree, albeit a huge one, contributing to the town's splendor, or the others, even if barely kept alive.

Soon, the number of potential supporters of felling the chestnut tree outnumbered its defenders. But the majority's wishes were still a long way off. The chestnut tree—as a large tree—enjoyed the sympathy of the town's citizens, who held the most sway. These included prominent members of the League, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and souvenir shop owners, who profited handsomely from tourists, including those from abroad, drawn by the local sensation.

Meanwhile, the situation in the district grew increasingly critical. Nearby homes were threatened with the destruction of underground utilities, apartments deprived of sunlight were becoming damp, infants were suffering from rickets... At any moment, a physical confrontation could break out between the increasingly vocal majority of opponents of the chestnut tree and the dwindling handful of its defenders and League activists.

The latter, oblivious to what was happening, resorted to various means to save their priceless tree. Tenants from the most endangered buildings were relocated to another district. At the same time, guards were kept around the chestnut tree to prevent an attack, and the League, at a special session, declared it a natural monument. At the same time, a closed scientific conference was held by horticultural specialists associated with the League. They learned for the first time that the chestnut tree, fed for years with prohibited nutrients, was now growing at a much faster rate than originally anticipated, and that all known methods of limiting its growth, including constant pruning, were failing. The specialists pledged comprehensive assistance, then departed for their research facilities.

And the chestnut tree continued to swell like a festive yeast cake. For the second time, a significant number of tenants had to be relocated to alternative housing. This decision sparked such fundamental unrest among the citizens that they decided to use all available propaganda tools in the tree's defense. Immediately afterward, articles began appearing in local newspapers suggesting that the town's continued, dynamic development was inextricably linked to the growth of the chestnut tree. These were supported by national newspapers, as well as radio and television. "Is it wise, in an age of threats to human habitat, to destroy such a magnificent natural monument?" they asked, persuading readers that one enormous tree produces more oxygen than a dozen small ones.

For the record, a doctor also claimed it was unhealthy to sit for hours under a tree of the same species. Apparently, simply passing another later would be enough to develop a nagging allergy.

As might be expected, opportunists emerged in the discussion, believing that the chestnut tree, though increasingly burdensome to its surroundings, was probably the lesser evil than what could have happened if attempts were made to eradicate it. Their supporters exploited their indecision. They easily won many of them over to their side, thus forming two warring factions. Two streams of telegrams and letters flowed from across the country: in defense of the endangered tree and in protest against its hegemony. Following the lively correspondence, dozens of buses transported public representatives who demonstrated their support or demanded its extermination.

Foreign journalists, eager for sensational news, became interested in the whole story. From the front pages of newspapers in many countries, sensational-sounding headlines of recent correspondence shouted to readers: CHESTNUT IN DANGER! IS THIS THE END OF THE ETERNAL TREE'S SUPREMAC? WHOM DOES THE CHESTNUT HUNT SERVE? A COUNTER-REVOLUTION ON THE ASSAULT! WILL THE CHESTNUT FALL? A CHANCE FOR OTHER TREES!

Within three days, tens of thousands of people arrived in the town. The streets, sidewalks, and squares were lined with barricades, tents, field kitchens, makeshift latrines, and stands, from which alternate speakers lectured the crowds on why the chestnut tree is either irreplaceable or repulsive.

However, the heated debates didn't last long. The first clashes erupted between the confrontational members of both groups; the delegates, torn away from their homes, wives, husbands, and children, longed to return, seeking a swift resolution to the dispute.

And it seemed that, indeed, in such an explosive situation, nothing and no one could prevent the inevitable tragedy, especially since the scientists' efforts were fruitless – the chestnut tree's growth was not limited, and its supporters refused to budge – when events unforeseen by any observer occurred.

One foreign correspondent described them this way: "From all sides of the local park, in the center of which stood a monstrous chestnut tree, groups of people, desperate to the point of fury, were attacking each other. They were shoving each other, hurling insults, threatening each other with assault rifles and banners. In the sunny sky that day, clouds of dust rose, shouts of encouragement, curses, and flocks of frightened birds circled the chestnut tree, afraid to perch on it. I waited for the worst.

Suddenly, it was pitch black. The darkness lasted no longer than a few seconds, before it was illuminated by lightning flashes on the horizon of the rooftops. Simultaneously, a deafening, growing clap of thunder sounded, rapidly approaching the park. The delegates, frozen in place for a moment, began to flee. After a few more seconds, the chestnut tree was left alone. Rain poured from heavy, leaden clouds, and gusts of wind grew increasingly violent. I clung to the meager aspen tree. The darkness deepened, the rain turned into torrents of water, and the wind became a hurricane.

The chestnut tree, which had initially held together, shuddered with the effort and began to crackle. Strange things were happening to it. It was shaking as if it had a fever and slowly, but steadily, it was leaning to one side, thankfully not mine. I watched in the lightning flashes as it briefly struggled with the raging wind, but it was hopeless. Suddenly, I heard the unmistakable crack of a tree breaking, and the giant collapsed.

People, terrified by the tremendous boom, ran from their homes. What happened next stunned me. Some of the League members, recognized by their colorful badges bearing the image of a chestnut tree, began hugging and dancing around the fallen tree. More and more delegates from this group joined the cheering. Few remained on the sidelines.

Across the country, the news of the general demise of the "sacred" tree was received with remarkable calm. Occasional mass gatherings and commemorations were held in factories, schools, universities, and rural areas, where eyewitnesses recounted the experiences of the chestnut tree. A special commission, appointed to investigate the tree's fall, concluded that the hurricane was caused by an unexpected eruption of what turned out to be an extinct volcano in the mountains. It was also determined that the chestnut tree's toppling facilitated the decay of its overgrown roots, which sucked out all the mineral salts necessary for the tree's continued growth from the surrounding soil. The overgrowth of the roots, and consequently, of the entire tree, was caused by a large dose of chemicals prohibited in horticulture.

This is what the foreign correspondent noted. Supplementing his account, it's worth adding that the remaining trees withstood the hurricane and are still growing. While they aren't as large as the chestnut tree once was, they aren't all the same size either. Perhaps the people who planted them are, at least for now, ensuring that each tree develops according to its own biological cycle.

The seemingly extinct volcano in the mountains, which at a critical moment in history had resumed activity and saved the town and the entire country from an inevitable confrontation between the chestnut's supporters and opponents, after a short, salutary eruption, sank into a deep slumber. Scientists who examined the floor of its crater concluded that the last eruption had so exhausted it that this time it was extinct forever.

Few people remember the chestnut tree today. Only those who haven't come to terms with defeat, prominent League activists, and owners of restaurants, hotels, and souvenir stands, as tourists have long since ceased to visit this town. Perhaps also the children, who have lost the most, because they have nothing to make puppets with and have stopped learning, because how can they now know when the chestnut trees are in bloom?

But, dear children, and you, prominent League activists, owners of restaurants, hotels, and souvenir stands! Don't worry too much! All is not lost yet! A glimmer of hope shines for you! The historic volcano has run out of steam, human memory is short, the nature of homo sapiens is twisted, and history has a way of repeating itself, so the rebirth of the chestnut tree in the town is only a matter of time!