Previous - Next

off he went.

"Rejoice in thy growth!" said the Sunbeams. "Rejoice in thy vigorous growth,
and in the fresh life that moveth within thee!"

And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears over him; but the Fir
understood it not.

When Christmas came, quite young trees were cut down: trees which often were
not even as large or of the same age as this Fir Tree, who could never rest,
but always wanted to be off. These young trees, and they were always the
finest looking, retained their branches; they were laid on carts, and the
horses drew them out of the wood.

"Where are they going to?" asked the Fir. "They are not taller than I; there
was one indeed that was considerably shorter; and why do they retain all their
branches? Whither are they taken?"

"We know! We know!" chirped the Sparrows. "We have peeped in at the windows in
the town below! We know whither they are taken! The greatest splendor and the
greatest magnificence one can imagine await them. We peeped through the
windows, and saw them planted in the middle of the warm room and ornamented
with the most splendid things, with gilded apples, with gingerbread, with
toys, and many hundred lights!"

"And then?" asked the Fir Tree, trembling in every bough. "And then? What
happens then?"

"We did not see anything more: it was incomparably beautiful."

"I would fain know if I am destined for so glorious a career," cried the Tree,
rejoicing. "That is still better than to cross the sea! What a longing do I
suffer! Were Christmas but come! I am now tall, and my branches spread like
the others that were carried off last year! Oh! were I but already on the
cart! Were I in the warm room with all the splendor and magnificence! Yes;
then something better, something still grander, will surely follow, or
wherefore should they thus ornament me? Something better, something still
grander must follow--but what? Oh, how I long, how I suffer! I do not know
myself what is the matter with me!"

"Rejoice in our presence!" said the Air and the Sunlight. "Rejoice in thy own
fresh youth!"

But the Tree did not rejoice at all; he grew and grew, and was green both
winter and summer. People that saw him said, "What a fine tree!" and towards
Christmas he was one of the first that was cut down. The axe struck deep into
the very pith; the Tree fell to the earth with a sigh; he felt a pang--it was
like a swoon; he could not think of happiness, for he was sorrowful at being
separated from his home, from the place where he had sprung up. He well knew
that he should never see his dear old comrades, the little bushes and flowers
around him, anymore; perhaps not even the birds! The departure was not at all
agreeable.

The Tree only came to himself when he was unloaded in a court-yard with the
other trees, and heard a man say, "That one is splendid! We don't want the
others." Then two servants came in rich livery and carried the Fir Tree into a
large and splendid drawing-room.

Previous - Next