Benny Banana Tree didn’t think he was all that worthy of being in the jungle… …Until something happened that changed his mind completely.

Benny Banana Tree was a majestic tree. But it seemed to him that the other plants in the jungle were all better. The other flowers had enormous, gorgeous, and fragrant blooms. His flowers were insignificant compared to theirs. And his branches were shorter than a lot of the other trees. All Benny were his shortcomings. Ophelia Orchid always seemed to be making fun of Benny. “Oh, look at my newest flower,” she said. “And smell the delicious aroma – so sweet and luscious! I can’t wait until my other buds open! Yours will never be this amazing!” Manny Mangrove Tree was always bragging, too. “Just look how my tremendous roots grace the earth below and my limbs climb high in the sky, spreading out ever more beautifully each year. I’m a perfect tree of life, providing shelter for untold numbers of creatures!”

Even the vines were mean to Benny. “We’re the glue that holds the jungle together,” they exclaimed. “What good are you?” Benny just sighed and wished he had some redeeming quality that the jungle needed. One day, a whole colony of monkeys arrived. No one in the jungle ever heard such a clatter and chatter as when the monkeys spotted Benny! “Oh, look at the treasure we’ve found! These are the biggest, sweetest bananas in the world! Thanks to this banana tree, tonight we feast!” said the head monkey. From then on, as Benny gave out all the bananas the monkeys could desire, Ophelia gave up on her attempts to get them to notice her. Manny was in awe at how Benny provided for them. And the vines stopped bragging, too. Finally, Benny’s inner beauty shone through bright and clear. “Well, what do you know?” he said, beaming with pride. “I AM here for a reason and I’m special too!”