爱，还是爱，是父母的爱。
在这首歌里，讲述的是这样一个故事：有一棵奉献树，深爱着一个小男孩。男孩天天在枝桠间嬉戏、在树荫下休憩，慢慢的长大了。有一天，他向树要钱，说是想买一些他喜欢的东西。树没有钱，只有枝叶和苹果。于是树让他把苹果摘了，到街上去卖钱。男孩照着树的话去做，看到男孩满意的样子，树很高兴。不久，男孩又来了，说他现在已经是个成人了，得要有间自己的房子。于是树让他把枝桠砍去，自己搭间房子。后来，男孩向树说他厌倦了故乡，想要到远方寻找阳光灿烂的日子，树于是又把主干给了他，让他自己造条小船出海去追寻梦想。看着男孩去满怀壮志地去寻找新的人生，树很高兴。 几年之后，男孩倦游归来，又来到树的身边。树看看自己仅存的树墩，十分抱歉地对男孩说：“如今我只剩下一个老树墩，实在没有东西可给你了”。男孩虚弱的笑笑，对树说，现在我需要的也不多了，只想有个安静的地方，好好休息一下。树说，既然是这样，那么我这老树墩还是挺管用的，“来吧，坐下来，好好的休息一会儿”。男孩听话的坐下，于是树还是好高兴。
虽然这首歌从头到尾都没有说出任何父亲或母亲的字眼，但是只要我们稍稍用心去想想，就不难体会它的深意了。
Once there was a giving tree
Who loved a little boy
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from her branches
Sleeping in her shades
Laughing all the summer hours away
And so they loved, and oh the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad
But soon the boy grew older
And one day he came and said
Can you give me some money, tree
To buy some things I've found
I have no money, said the tree
Just apples, twigs and leaves
But you can take my apples, boy
And sell them in the town
And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad
Soon again the boy came back
And he said to the tree, I'm now a man
And I must have a house that's all my own
I can't give you a house, said the tree
The forest is my home
But you may cut my branches off
And build yourself a home
And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad
And time went by and the boy came back
With sadness in his eyes
My life has turned so cold, he said
And I need sunny days
I'm nothing buy my trunk, she said
But you may cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away
And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad
And after years, the boy came back
From both ends of the world
I really cannot help you
If you ask another gift
I'm nothing but an old stump now
I'm sorry, boy, she said
I'm sorry, but I've nothing more to give
I don't need very much now
Just a quiet place to rest
The boy, he whispered with a weary smile
Well, said the tree, an old stump is still as good for that
Come, boy, she said, sit down
Sit down and rest awhile
And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
Oh, the tree was glad