The first thing is for you to understand and love the woods.

Before you can do that you should master the history of one tree; just the same as you must learn to know and love me before your childlike trust in all mankind returns again.

Understand?
Well, the fates knew you were on the way, coming trembling down the brink, Ruth, so they put it into the heart of a great man to write largely of a wonderful tree, especially for your benefit.
After it had fallen he took it apart, split it in sections, and year by year spread out history for all the world to read.

It made a classic story filled with unsurpassed wonders.

It was a pine of a thousand years, close the age of our mother tree, Ruth, and when we have learned from Enos Mills how to wrest secrets from the hearts of centuries, we will climb the hill and measure our oak, and then I will estimate, and you will write, and we will make a record for our tree." "Oh, I'd like that!" "So would I," said the Harvester.