Before the US release of gold and silver, I was trying to play through gold in Japanese. Since I didn't know any Japanese at all, this was probably the greatest challenge my 10 year old self had ever undertaken. Still, nothing was too frustrating. I was playing and progressing through a pokemon game that everyone else at school was still only dreaming about. Needless to say, I didn't realize I'd soon hit a roadblock that would stump me for what felt like weeks.
I had just gotten through the national park and done the bug catching contest for the first time. I had no idea whether I won or lost, but I got some prize, so I was content with that. I left the park and started on route 36 to head on to the next city. Before I knew it, I had run into that weird tree that wiggled when you pressed A on it again.
My first thought was it was another obstacle to use an HM on, but Bellsprout's cut couldn't touch it. Flash, of course, was useless. "Well, maybe it takes an item to cut it down!" I didn't know Japanese, so I methodically went through my bag and tried every single item I had on it. Nothing worked at all. I tried cut again. Nothing. I left the route and came back. It stood there, the unmoving guardian of the path. I had no idea what to do.
Lost for what to do next, I eventually went back through the Ilex Forest and Union Cave to see if there was any other path I had missed. Nothing. I investigated the tree from the Violet City side. It still wouldn't budge. I went all the way back to New Bark Town, scouring every route for any hidden path, any normal tree to cut, any passageway that would let me continue. Nothing. I went back to Goldenrod and investigated it from that side again. All it would do is waggle its branches at me, daring me to try and move it. Nothing was working.
I don't know how long it was until I finally just talked to everyone in Goldenrod City again. The flower shop girl gave me a new item, which she hadn't done the last time I had talked to her. I had no idea why she was giving me something new now. Honestly, at that point, I just didn't care.
With my newfound mysterious ゼニガメじょうろ, whatever that was, I went up to the tree, hoping that maybe this was the key. I managed to use it, the tree wiggled, and then, it attacked! And thus ended my weeks of frustration with dealing with illiteracy and a tree.