The story unfolds high on the Mahab-harat Lekh, somewhere in West Nepal, many years ago. Gurans {RJiododendrori), a girl tree, was in her gangly adolescent stage. Her branches hung out awkwardly and she had not yet learned to sway gent-ly to the soft Himalayan breeze.
Young Gurans was infatuated with the tree named Uttis (Atnus nepalensis), who, in his early adulthood, had grown tall and slim. He had shiny dark leaves and was quite attractive.
Though shy, Gurans gathered up her courage and went up to Uttis one day. She expressed her deep love for him, her desire to sink roots next to him, and to age together under the gaze of Api and Saipal.
But Uttis did not like Gurans´ proposal and shrugged his branches in exasperation. He had no time for all this adoles¬cent sap from the young female. He did not even make an ex¬cuse or try to explain to Gurans why he was not interested. Instead, Uttis looked away down the valley, contempt evident in his erect posture. An early afternoon cloud came by and when Uttis turned around, Gurans was gone, humiliated, lovelorn and quite alone.