203

THE FIR TREE.

“3; UT in the forest stood a pretty little Fir Tree. It hada
good place; it could have sunlight, air there was in
plenty, and all around grew many larger comrades—
pines as well as firs. But the little Fir Tree wished ardently to
become greater. It did not care for the warm sun and the fresh
air; it took no notice of the peasant children, who went about
talking together, when they had come out to look for strawberries
and raspberries, Often they come with a whole pot-full, or had
strung berries on a straw; then they would sit down by the little
Fir Tree and say, “ How pretty and small that one is!” and the
Fir Tree did not like to hear that at all.

Next year he had grown a great joint, and the following year he
was longer still, for in fir trees one can always tell by the number
of rings they have how many years they have been growing.

“Oh, if I were only as great a tree as the other!” sighed the
little Fir, “then I would spread my branches far around, and
look out from my crown into the wide world. The birds would
then build nests in my boughs, and when the wind blew I could
nod just as grandly as the others yonder.”

It took no pleasure in the sunshine, in the birds, and in the red
clouds that went sailing over him morning and evening.

When it was winter, and the snow lay all around, white and
sparkling, a hare would often come jumping along, and spring
right over the little Fir Tree. Oh! thismade him soangry. But
two winters went by, and when the third came the little Tree had
grown so tall that the hare was obliged to run round it.

“Oh! to grow, to grow, and become old; that’s the only fine
thing in the world,” thought the Tree.

In the autumn woodcutters always came and felled a few of
the largest trees; that was done this year too, and the little Fir
Tree, that was now quite well grown, shuddered with fear, for
the great stately trees fell to the ground with a crash, and their
branches were cut off, so that the trees looked quite naked, long,
and slender—they could hardly be recognized. But then they
were laid upon waggons, and horses dragged them away out of
a wood: Where were they going? What destiny awaited
them?

In the spring, when the Swallows and the Stork came, the Tree
asked them, “ Do you know where they were taken? Did you
not meet them?” :

The Swallows knew nothing about it, but the Stork looked
thoughtful, nodded his head, and said,

“Yes, I think so. I met many new ships when I flew out of