CHAPTER ONE: SHAWNIGAN LAKE
Somewhere between "once upon a time" and "happily ever after" it was the beginning of summer in a magical forest near Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia. And sometime at Shawnigan Lake was always the best time. Instead of chilly days or freezing Canadian nights, a soft warm breeze blew in from the Pacific Ocean and through the lush green valleys of Vancouver Island to bid all the creatures "good morning", and that made everybody happy, everybody except Douglas Fir. 
Normally, the ever cheerful Douglas was first to smile when summer's trade winds gently tickled his exposed roots, the bark on his mammoth abt 61m. body, and the tips of his wispy green needles. But not this day, though he couldn't quite figure out why. Perhaps he was feeling odd because he had just celebrated his 350th birthday, which automatically made summers seem shorter and winters feel that much longer. Or, was he simply tired of the same old routine? 
While Douglas's thoughts drifted, little Earl Squirrel came running up a path with hardly enough breath to blow out a candle on a birthday cake, had it been his birthday and had there been a cake.
"Twiglets! It's Twiglet Day!"
Bringing his toughts back to his world, Douglas warmly responded: "Indeed. It's Twiglet Day. And right on schedule." Then, Douglas noticed a park ranger pushing a wheelbarrow toward him. In the wheelbarrow were two twiglets. 
All the forest creatures know that a twiglet is a baby tree. Raised in a tree nursery, a twiglet grows up to goto school like anyone else.
Twiglets go to Pree-Tree School, where they learn all they need to know about being an adult tree.
Douglas was the most respected and popular teacher around, and Twiglet Day was one of several days each year the friendly park ranger brought all the twiglets who had studied hard to Douglas for their final test. 
Earl, who had a habit of getting into everybody's business whether he was welcome or not, climbed onto the ranger's wheelbarrow to face the twiglets. "I want to be a tree and take the test with you!"
"You can't be in our class. You can't be a squirrel and a tree, too!"
"Haven't you ever heard of a tree squirrel?" Earl cracked, cackling at his own joke as he fell off the ranger's wheelbarrow.
The twiglets were not amused, especially when Douglas began the test and Earl tried to answer all the questions.
"Do you know what kind of tree you are?"
Earl spoke first. "One's an oak tree; one's a fir tree! One has leaves; one has needles..."
The twiglets fought back, "Douglas, this isn't fair!"
Although the mighty fair had a special place in his heart for Earl, Douglas had to agree. But Earl would not stop.
When the class was finally over, Douglas gave Earl a stern look, then motioned to the ranger. "You can give them their diplomas. In spite of Earl, I can see they did their homework."
"Sure thing, Douglas. I'll go plant them now. And take care, a big storm's coming."
As the ranger took the twiglets away, Earl could sense that Douglas was not pleased with him and tried to sneak off. But Douglas quickly stopped Earl in his tracks. "Wait a minute, young man! The next time I'm teaching and you answer all the questions, I'll...I'll..."
"What?" chirped a voice put of nowhere. "You'll what?"
Douglas looked up to see who had interrupted him. Of course, he already knew it was Rona Redbreast, the local gossip bird and editor of The Daily Forest newspaper.
"Well?" Rona persisted. "I'm waiting."
"Oh, you distracted me, and I've lost my thought."
"Ah-ha! Where did you leave it? I'm an expert at finding lost things. It's part of being a good reporter."
Rona began to look high and low. She looked behind branches and under rocks, then finally settled next to a mysterious pile of leaves that rustled a bit.
"I found it! Come out, lost thought!"
The pile moved again.
Earl cautiously interrupted. "How will we know if that's a lost thought? Have you ever seen one? Are they like monsters? What if they're big and hairy?"
Rona stopped short. She hadn't thought of that. "Douglas, you look down on that pile."
But before Douglas could wake up his lost thought, the pile jumped and a thing popped out. 
Rona was so frightened she fell over backwards and knocked her head on the ground. 
"Can't a guy get a little sleep around here?" the thing snorted, as it brushed leaves off its black and white stripes. It was their lazy friend, Monk the Skunk.
Douglas sighed. "Oh, it's just you, Monk. Earl, would you help Madame Redbreast?"
Earl ran down to the lake, dipped an acorn cap in the cool water, and dashed back up the hill to splash it on Rona. 
When Rona sat up she noticed everyone staring at her and became very embarrassed. 
"Well, I knew it was Monk all along. Everyone knows a lost thought never hides under leaves. But I'll still find it!"
"I'm sure you will," Douglas assured her, before changing the subject.
"What big new stories are you covering today?"
"Well, if you must know,, I'm writing a story about the summer tourist season, which officially begins today."
"Oh, that's right! I'd forgotten that, too!" Douglas cried out, which made Rona feel better since she had helped him remember something. 
Of course, the tourist talk got Monk's attention quick.
"You mean free food?" He loved food, free or otherwise, as did Rona. So they quickly scampered away, leaving a suddenly sorrowful Earl behind was Douglas. 
"What's wrong, Earl? You love summertime and the tourists as much as everyone else."
"Yes, but I was just thinking about what happens at the end of this Summer.Kindergarten."
"You're not afraid of school, are you? You always do well in my classes. Too well, in fact."
Earl kicked at the ground. "I love being in your class. I'm just afraid that everyone will forget me when I'm gone."
"Earl, you don't have to be with me to live in my thoughts."
"But you just lost a thought."
"Oh..." Douglas realized that Earl was deeply troubled. "But I never forget friends like you."
When Douglas noticed a look of surprise on Earl's face, he continued. "Be thankful you have the chance to try new things. I'd like to do something different."
Momentarily distracted by a distant thunderclap, Earl was confused. "You don't like being a tree?"
"Oh, sure I do. It's just that new experiences make me feel more alive. They make me a better teacher and friend. I dream about new adventures all the time."
"Don't new things scare you?"
"Sometimes. But, here's a deal. I'll help you get ready for kindergarten, if you promise to help me someday."
"What could I ever do for you? I'm only a little squirrel."
"You help me a lot just by being my friend."
"Even while I am away?"
Douglas nodded. And Earl squealed his approval.
Yes, even though things seemed to stay the same for Douglas, he had to admit that life at Shawnigan Lake had its rewards.

CHAPTER TWO: THE STORM
The rumble of nearby thunder caused the earth to shake below Douglas. He remembered the ranger's warning that a storm was coming, and now it was nearly upon him. The air had an eerie smell, and Douglas sensed this storm would be one of the bad ones. He braced himself against the swirling wind and warned the other trees and animals. 
"Take cover! Pass on the news!"
One by one the trees yelled, and their warnings echoed long and long through the woods. Then the storm hit. 
The wind whipped at Douglas's limbs, nearly pulling the needles off, and the rain slapped against his bark so hard that it hurt. He dug his roots deeper into the ground to have a better chance of staying upright.
Of all the terrors of a storm, lightning was the most frightening to Douglas; it could strike in the forest and cause a tree to split or FALL. 
Suddenly, Douglas began to lean. And when his roots started to pop out of the ground he scremaed, "Help! Help!"
The rain-soaked earth made a desperate attempt to hold on, as Douglas shuddered and shook. His tall trunk bowed and rocked with each new gust of wind. 
Earl and Monk came running as soon as they heard their friend was in trouble. They jumped up and down on Douglas's roots to stuff them back into the ground, but it was no use. 
Douglas was too big. He weighed too much. 
BOOM! BOOM! More lightning and thunder roared through the forest.
Then, with a loud CRASH, all 200 feet (60.96m) of Sir Douglas fell to the ground. And Earl shrieked:, "Douglas, don't leave me!"
The storm lasted all night and slipped away with the morning light. The sun, which must be afraid of storms, too, because it's never around when there is one, peeked over the mountains to look at the damage.
Earl, Monk, and few other friends ­ Mrs. O'Deer, Bully Bear, and a very intelligent otter, Cedrick ­ all indeed out of their hiding places to check on Douglas. 
Earl was the bravest and approached Douglas first. Well, actually, Bully Bear pushed him over to Duglas, but no one else saw it. 
Mrs. O'Deer did what she did best ­ she cried, ŒOh dear, of dear."
And, after a few moments, Douglas moaned.
"He's alive!" shouted a jubilant Earl, ever thankful that his friend hadn't left him. 
Douglas struggled to speak. "Lift me up, everybody. Push up on my branches so I can put my 'toes' back into the dirt."
All the animals got behind a big branch and pushed, and pushed, but nothing happened. 
Just then, a thought occurred to Cedrick. "Maybe if we push up on a smaller branch he'll be lighter?"
That made sense. So they all pushed up on a smaller branch, but that didn't work either. 
It was time to consult the ranger. 
When the ranger arrived, he just shooked his head. "I'm sorry, Douglas. You can't be what you used to be. We can't put a tree as big as you are back in the ground."
Mrs. O'Deer sobbed, "Oh dear!"
Cedrick interrupted, "Wait! I read that when trees can't be trees, they loose all their leaves, or needles in this case, and can become useful to man."
Everyone gasped, except the ranger, of course.
Bully Bear had heard enough. He stomped over to the ranger and threatened to bite his knee. "If Douglas wants to stay a tree, I say he stays a tree!"
Douglas motioned for Bully to stop. "No, Bully. I wanted change, and I got it. Though I never imagined this. I can't be undone. O guess it's time for me to be something else. I just don't know what."
Nobody seemed to know. But the thought of helping Douglas decide got everybody excited. Whose idea would he accept? There would be a contest!

CHAPTER THREE: THE CONTEST
The news spread far and wide that the contest was to be the greatest contest in the history of Shawnigan Lake. True, it was the only contest in the history of Shawnigan Lake, but nobody bothered to mention that and spoil the fun. 
Rona stood on Douglas's trunk and tried to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me! Excuse me, please!"
But nobody was listening. So, at the top of her lungs, she screamed, "QUIET!" until everyone settled down. 
"Remember, it doesn't matter who wins the contest; it only matters that Douglas approves of his new destiny...and that there are prizes." Everyone agreed with that. 
"The grand prize winner will be allowed to accompany Douglas on his journey, wherever it may take him. Who wants to go first?"
As you can well imagine, everyone's hand went up at once. 
It was quickly decided that Bully Bear would go first because he made the meanest face. He wanted Douglas to be a pirate ship, but no one else liked that idea.

I see him sailing oceans blue,
commanding a great crew,
knowing what to do.
With pirates, he'll rule while he's afloat.
I think he should be...
I think he should be a boat!

Monk and his brothers went next and wanted Douglas to be a bench seat in a church. They called it a "pew", which is what everyone else thought of their idea.

Please, let's stop all the noise.
Little girls and boys
don't require an ocean view.
They need a place to sit,
need the perfect fit
of a sturdy wooden pew.
Strong and new,
wooden pew.
Wouldn't you? 
We win.

The contest went on and on. Some wanted Douglas to be a chair; others wanted him to be a desk and a door and a house and just about anything else that could be made out of wood. 
Earl waited patiently for his turn. He'd even stayed up late the night before practicing being patient, because he knew he would go last.
Finally, Rona turned to Earl. "You ready?"
"Y-y-yes, I'm ready."
Suddenly, to the horror of all watching, an impatient Bully Bear stood and tore upEarl's speech. 
Douglas got very angry. "Bully, Earl will speak!"
At first Earl struggled to find the right words, but eventually he found the strength to say, "Douglas should become a great book of memories, so he can continue being a teacher."

I think that he should be a great book.
I think you should all know.
I think you should take a good look,
help generations grow.
He has such memories.
He's lived so long.

"Yeah! He's seen the indians, and the settlers, and our families, and the tourists, and the..."
"Get on with it!"

He belongs!
Douglas is much more than a tree,
not a pew, not a pirate to me.
We say to you most hum-b-ly...
I think he should be...
He should be...
A book! A book!

Then, Earl nodded respectfully at Douglas and sat down.
Rona didn't have to take note. As everyone congratulated Earl, she knew that he was the winner of the contest.

CHAPTER FOUR: AN ADVENTURE
A grand parade was scheduled to send Douglas and Earl off on their trip to a maker of great books in the distant city of Toronto. Unfortunately, the parade had to be canceled. No one knew how to play any instruments except Cedrick. He could play the tuba but only if some of the others would hold it for him. 
Still, everyone gathered to say their good-byes at a nearby train station, because a train was the only way Douglas could travel over land.
"All aboard!" the conductor shouted. 
At that moment, many of the animals were afraid for Douglas and Earl: the new place they were going might be strange and scary. Others were sad to think that Douglas was really leaving. But mostly, seemed excited and showed as much courage as they could, even Mrs.O'Deer, who simply said, "Oh dear."
Earl's heart raced. Despite feeling nervous, he pledged to stay with Douglas no matter what might happen, because that's what best friends do.
Then, with the toot of the whistle, the train pulled away carrying a long, lean Douglas on three flat cars. 
The train rumbled over the Rocky Mountains, through the plains of central Canada, and by sparkling rivers.
Animals kept popping up along the way, and Earl waved and whooped ­ at the antelope and rabbits, wild horses and cows, and a prairie dog, who didn't look like a dog at all, but Douglas assured Earl he was. 
After a while, Earl grew tired of waving and even stopped asking "Are we there yet?", mostly because he was homesick. Douglas admitted that he was too, but reminded himself that one of his lifelong dreams was coming true. 
Douglas had always wished he could move around and explore new places, and now, by an act of nature and with the assistance of his friends, he really was. Douglas was suddenly giddy with excitement. 
The gentle rocking motion of the train and the clickity-clack of the wheels on the track were marvelous new sensations. 
The train seemed to glide over the rocky terrain. Cool, fresh air lightly brushed through Douglas's needles. 
Douglas closed his eyes and imagined that he was flying. Earl squinched his eyes together, too. At that moment life was wonderful, and anything was possible for them.
As Douglas and Earl floated in their fantasy, they didn't notice that someone had joined them in their dreamy game. 
Douglas was the first to see the familiar and beaming intruder. "Monk?! You're a stowaway!"
Apparently, Monk had been hiding on the train since it left the station near Shawnigan Lake. He didon't want his friends to go without him. 
Of course, the conductor saw Monk, too. "Ay, you with the white stripe! You got to buy a ticket!"
Even if hiding on trains is not a good thing, Douglas and Earl were surely glad to see Monk and bought him the required ticket. 
When the train finally rolled to a stop, the sun was setting, and daylight turned to spooky darkness. The conductor announced their arrival. "All of for the wood mill! This is your stop, folks!"
Since it didn't seem to be anyone around to greet them, Earl and Monk hopped off the train and went to look at the mill. After wiping away some dirt on a window, the two peeked inside, and what they saw frightened them.
Earl ran back to warn Douglas; Monk was too startled to run.
By the time Earl and Monk got back to the train, Douglas was gone.
Earl was furious. "The've taken him! We need to find out who's in charge!"
Douglas's little friends were so angry they had to count to ten twice just to calm down. They would find out what happened to their noble friend.  

CHAPTER FIVE: DESTINY
"What can I do for you boys?" the mill boss asked from somewhere behind a big wooden desk. Earl got right to the point. "We had a contest, and I won!" 
"I see!"
Monk jumped in. "What my friend is trying to say, Mr. Boss, is that we came all this way to make sure that our friend, Douglas Fir, becomes a great book of memories, and we don't think you make books here!"
The boss thought aloud. "You know, it's very rare when a tree as big and old as Douglas falls down in the woods and isn't splintered or hurt."
Earl took the opportunity to boast. "That's our Douglas."
"Well, with his permission, we're planning to do something quite wonderful, but it's a secret. Do you know what a secret is?"
"Oh, sure, I tell them all the time."
"Good, then you'll know why you've got to wait for the big surprise."
Well, wait and wait they did. For days Monk and Earl waited, and still no sign of Douglas. 
Earl's eyes filled with tears. "I can't take it anymore. I promised Douglas I'd help him and I've let him down. How can he face this alone?"
Monk did everything he could to console Earl. "Douglas can take care of himself. And although we'd like to control everything in life, we can't always. We have to believe this will work out."
But Earl wasn't so sure. 
Just then, Monk and Earl heard some music playing not too far away.
Earl instantly perked up. "Listen. What is it?"
"I don't know."
This time, even Monk raced over to where a crowd had gathered to see what the excitement was all about, but the two still couldn't see much or anything.
Earl and Monk climbed to the top of the tallest building they could find and looked out over the crowd.
Thousands and thousands of people were gathered at what looked like a huge circus.
A big sign told them they were looking down on the Exhibition Palace.
There in the center of it all was Douglas. He had a broad smile and looked splendid; he'd had a haircut, was painted all white, and was so shiny. 
Monk was nearly breathless. "It's Douglas! He looks different, but he's beautiful."
The mill boss stepped up onto a platform right next to Douglas. "May I have your attention?! We are very honored that Mr. Douglas Fir has accepted our offer to be the World's Tallest Wooden Flagpole and hold high our country's biggest flag."
The crowd cheered, while Earl and Monk danced a jig. This was better than they had ever dreamed. It was perfect for someone as wise and regal as Douglas. 
Looking relieved, Monk turned to Earl. "What did I tell ya! You've got to have faith!"
"Wait, there"s more!" the boss continued, turned to the representative of the Queen of England.
"By special order of the queen, I've been asked to dub thee Sir Douglas Fir!"
Indeed, Douglas was made a knight, and the queen's friend touched a shiny sword to Douglas mighty shoulders.
The photographers snapped lots of pictures ­ so many, in fact, that when everyone closed their eyes they could still see lights flashing. 
When the crowd finally left, Earl and Monk stayed to talk to Douglas one last time. "We are very proud of you, Sir Douglas!" 
"Thank you, Monk."
"Are you disappointed you're not a great book of memories?"
"At first I wasn't sure. All of us wanted it so badly. But when they said I could live on as a flagpole and have my stories set in bronze, like a book, it was hard to say no. It'll be a great adventure."
Monk nodded, but Earl was unusually silent. 
"Don't you want to talk to me, Earl?"
Fighting back some sniffles, Earl eventually spoke. "I wanted to help you."
"You did. You stuck by me the whole time."
"Will we ever see you again, Sir Douglas?"
"You can visit or give me a shout anytime. But we'll have to be apart some, too. Do you think you can do that now?"
"If you can be brave and have a new life, so can I. I'll go to the kindergarten."
"Now that's the grownup-sounding Earl I knew was hiding inside. You won't forget me, will you, Earl?"
"I never forget friends like you."
"That will give me great comfort and strength."
Then Douglas asked a favor of Earl. "Would you plant a twiglet fir tree in my place back home? It's a big, important job, but I know you can handle it. And maybe, just maybe, when you talk to him, you can pretend you're talking to me."
"I promise."
Finally, it was time to go, so Earl and Monk took turns hugging and kissing Douglas, and they promised to write many letters.
As his dear friends left, Douglas wanted to cry; and he did just a little, but not for long. Summer would be over soon, and Douglas actually looked forward to autumn and winter and spring and the years to come. After all, there were new animals and new people to meet, and there would be plenty of chances for him to teach and recite his memories.
He was happy to be the World's Tallest Wooden Flagpole. He was happy to be Sir Douglas Fir!