One day, a person who was famous               growing the wonderful apple trees gave a farmer a young               tree and told him how to plant it. The farmer was pleased with the gift,               he was afraid that if he              the tree near the road, strangers would take the fruit. If he planted the tree in the field, his neighbors would               some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.                he planted the tree in his wood. Without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon               .
Later the friend asked the farmer               he had planted the tree in such a poor place. “What’s the difference?” the farmer said loudly and then told what he had thought.
“Yes,” said the friend, “but at              someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you destroyed a good apple               !”