Bottles of Happy

One day, a hawker came to a village with a basket full of bottles. "What do you have in those bottles?" asked a man.

"These are bottles of happy. If you drink one, you will become happy."

The villagers were excited to hear this; they started fighting each other to buy the bottles of happy. A young boy tried to go to the hawker but the crowd pushed him away. Sadly, he stood in a corner and waited until everyone has finished for his turn. Soon, the villagers were all happy with their bottles. The young boy went to the hawker, "I want to buy a bottle of happy too."

"Oh, poor child! I have no more." said the hawker.

The boy went to a man who was walking home with arms full of bottles. "Can you give me one bottle of happy?" "No. These are my bottles of happy. I need them to be happy." He asked another man, then another. "Go away! I can't give you my bottle of happy!" they all turned him away.

The boy went home, crying. From that day, he taught himself to be happy without a bottle of happy.

Months later, the villagers ran out of happy. All of the bottles were empty. "What do we do now?" The searched everywhere for that hawker to buy bottles of happy from him, but they couldn't find him. Then they saw the young boy living happily in his small house. They ran to him, "Can you give us a little bit from your bottle of happy?" they asked.

"But I don't have a bottle of happy." answered the boy.

"Then how can you be so happy?"

"I have grown this happy by myself. It is endless. I can share it with you."

The villagers thanked the boy for sharing his happy and went back home. Soon, they all learned how to feel happy from inside themselves. Then they all lived happily ever after and never bought a bottle of happy again. 

A Perfect City

A long time ago- and yet perhaps it wasn't such a very long time ago-

There was a city, so full of shopping malls and amusement parks and restaurants and cinemas that there was nothing else the citizens could ask for. There were cars with the fastest speed and no traffics. Schools with the best teachers and no failures. Laws with the best police and no criminals. Everything was in that in that city yet, the citizens were not happy.

The mayor of the city announced a huge prize for anyone who can cure the sorrow of the citizens, "Make my people happy" he said. And so everyone rushed to find the cure. Scientists invented new machines. Doctors created new medicines. Companies offered new video games. Still, there was no happiness.

A wise man came forth, "Perhaps we should change it back to how things were: green and natural."
"You're crazy!" they laughed. "We can't become cavemen again!" and so trees were cut and malls were built. Skyscrapers so tall and large that it could brighten up places miles away with its lights. Still, the citizens were unhappy.

They ran to their mayor, "Please, help!" they pleaded. The mayor gathered all the big and important people, "I will double the reward. Make my people happy." And so everyone rushed again. They searched every store and every house, hoping for something, anything that can bring happiness to their lives. Finally, they arrived at a hut next to an ancient pine tree.

"This is so ugly," said one kid.

"This doesn't belong in our beautiful, perfect city."
They tore the hut apart and proceeded to cut the tree.

"Don't!" the old lady of the hut cried, "this is the last tree standing."

They did not listen. Instead, they hired more labors and bought better machines to cut the tree. They worked for hours, days, and weeks. Finally, the tree was cut and it was a vacant land. "We'll come back tomorrow build a new cinema here, then our city will be perfect." The citizens went back home.

But for them, tomorrow never came; that night the ancient pine tree rose again. With a sore heart, it called all the other trees that were dead and buried under the tall buildings. They all awoke and recalled their past.
"I protected them from disaster, but they hurt me." said one young and broken tree.

 "I gave them wood and food, but they cut me down." said another.

 "Let's get revenge!" the trees grew again to take back what was originally their. They let their roots pierce through the streets and their branches spread into the buildings. One by one, the buildings began to fall. The cars and the toys and the books were all crumpled under the ruins.

At last, the city was green and happy and perfect. Alas! there was not a soul alive to enjoy it.