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1THEFIRTREEOutinthewoodsstoodanicelittleFirTree.Theplacehehadwasaverygoodone:thesunshoneonhim:astofreshair,therewasenoughofthat,androundhimgrewmanylarge-sizedcomrades,pinesaswellasfirs.ButthelittleFirwantedsoverymuchtobeagrown-uptree.Hedidnotthinkofthewarmsunandofthefreshair;hedidnotcareforthelittlecottagechildrenthatranaboutandprattledwhentheywereinthewoodslookingforwild-strawberries.Thechildrenoftencamewithawholepitcherfullofberries,oralongrowofthemthreadedonastraw,andsatdownneartheyoungtreeandsaid,Oh,howprettyheis!Whatanicelittlefir!ButthiswaswhattheTreecouldnotbeartohear.Attheendofayearhehadshotupagooddeal,andafteranotheryearhewasanotherlongbittaller;forwithfirtreesonecanalwaystellbytheshootshowmanyyearsoldtheyare.Oh!WereIbutsuchahightreeastheothersare,sighedhe.ThenIshouldbeabletospreadoutmybranches,andwiththetopstolookintothewideworld!Thenwouldthebirdsbuildnestsamongmybranches:andwhentherewasabreeze,Icouldbendwithasmuchstatelinessastheothers!Neitherthesunbeams,northebirds,northeredcloudswhichmorningandeveningsailedabovehim,gavethelittleTreeanypleasure.Inwinter,whenthesnowlayglitteringontheground,aharewouldoftencomeleapingalong,andjumprightoverthelittleTree.Oh,thatmadehimsoangry!Buttwowinterswerepast,andinthethirdtheTreewassolargethattheharewasobligedtogoroundit.Togrowandgrow,togetolderandbetall,thoughttheTree--that,afterall,isthemostdelightfulthingintheworld!2Inautumnthewood-cuttersalwayscameandfelledsomeofthelargesttrees.Thishappenedeveryyear;andtheyoungFirTree,thathadnowgrowntoaverycomelysize,trembledatthesight;forthemagnificentgreattreesfelltotheearthwithnoiseandcracking,thebrancheswereloppedoff,andthetreeslookedlongandbare;theywerehardlytoberecognised;andthentheywerelaidincarts,andthehorsesdraggedthemoutofthewood.Wheredidtheygoto?Whatbecameofthem?Inspring,whentheswallowsandthestorkscame,theTreeaskedthem,Don'tyouknowwheretheyhavebeentaken?Haveyounotmetthemanywhere?Theswallowsdidnotknowanythingaboutit;buttheStorklookedmusing,noddedhishead,andsaid,Yes;IthinkIknow;ImetmanyshipsasIwasflyinghitherfromEgypt;ontheshipsweremagnificentmasts,andIventuretoassertthatitwastheythatsmeltsooffir.Imaycongratulateyou,fortheyliftedthemselvesonhighmostmajestically!Oh,wereIbutoldenoughtoflyacrossthesea!Buthowdoesthesealookinreality?Whatisitlike?Thatwouldtakealongtimetoexplain,saidtheStork,andwiththesewordsoffhewent.Rejoiceinthygrowth!saidtheSunbeams.Rejoiceinthyvigorousgrowth,andinthefreshlifethatmovethwithinthee!AndtheWindkissedtheTree,andtheDewwepttearsoverhim;buttheFirunderstooditnot.WhenChristmascame,quiteyoungtreeswerecutdown:treeswhichoftenwerenotevenaslargeorofthesameageasthisFirTree,whocouldneverrest,butalwayswantedtobeoff.Theseyoungtrees,andtheywerealwaysthe3finestlooking,retainedtheirbranches;theywerelaidoncarts,andthehorsesdrewthemoutofthewood.Wherearetheygoingto?askedtheFir.TheyarenottallerthanI;therewasoneindeedthatwasconsiderablyshorter;andwhydotheyretainalltheirbranches?Whitheraretheytaken?Weknow!Weknow!chirpedtheSparrows.Wehavepeepedinatthewindowsinthetownbelow!Weknowwhithertheyaretaken!Thegreatestsplendorandthegreatestmagnificenceonecanimagineawaitthem.Wepeepedthroughthewindows,andsawthemplantedinthemiddleofthewarmroomandornamentedwiththemostsplendidthings,withgildedapples,withgingerbread,withtoys,andmanyhundredlights!Andthen?askedtheFirTree,tremblingineverybough.Andthen?Whathappensthen?Wedidnotseeanythingmore:itwasincomparablybeautiful.IwouldfainknowifIamdestinedforsogloriousacareer,criedtheTree,rejoicing.Thatisstillbetterthantocrossthesea!WhatalongingdoIsuffer!WereChristmasbutcome!Iamnowtall,andmybranchesspreadliketheothersthatwerecarriedofflastyear!Oh!wereIbutalreadyonthecart!WereIinthewarmroomwithallthesplendorandmagnificence!Yes;thensomethingbetter,somethingstillgrander,willsurelyfollow,orwhereforeshouldtheythusornamentme?Somethingbetter,somethingstillgrandermustfollow--butwhat?Oh,howIlong,howIsuffer!Idonotknowmyselfwhatisthematterwithme!Rejoiceinourpresence!saidtheAirandtheSunlight.Rejoiceinthyownfreshyouth!4ButtheTreedidnotrejoiceatall;hegrewandgrew,andwasgreenbothwinterandsummer.Peoplethatsawhimsaid,Whatafinetree!andtowardsChristmashewasoneofthefirstthatwascutdown.Theaxestruckdeepintotheverypith;theTreefelltotheearthwithasigh;hefeltapang--itwaslikeaswoon;hecouldnotthinkofhappiness,forhewassorrowfulatbeingseparatedfromhishome,fromtheplacewherehehadsprungup.Hewellknewthatheshouldneverseehisdearoldcomrades,thelittlebushesandflowersaroundhim,anymore;perhapsnoteventhebirds!Thedeparturewasnotatallagreeable.TheTreeonlycametohimselfwhenhewasunloadedinacourt-yardwiththeothertrees,andheardamansay,Thatoneissplendid!Wedon'twanttheothers.ThentwoservantscameinrichliveryandcarriedtheFirTreeintoalargeandsplendiddrawing-room.Portraitswerehangingonthewalls,andnearthewhiteporcelainstovestoodtwolargeChinesevaseswithlionsonthecovers.There,too,werelargeeasy-chairs,silkensofas,largetablesfullofpicture-booksandfulloftoys,worthhundredsandhundredsofcrowns--atleastthechildrensaidso.AndtheFirTreewasstuckuprightinacaskthatw