in spring , when the swallows and storks came , the fir - tree asked them , ' do you know where they were taken ? have you met them ? ' the swallows knew nothing of them , but the stork nodded his head thoughtfully , saying , ' i think i know . i met many new ships as i flew from egypt ; there were splendid masts on the ships . i 'll wager those were they ! they had the scent of fir - trees . ah ! those are grand , grand ! ' ' oh ! if i were only big enough to sail away over the sea too ! what sort of thing is the sea ? what does it look like ? ' ' oh ! it would take much too long to tell you all that , ' said the stork , and off he went . ' rejoice in your youth , ' said the sunbeams , ' rejoice in the sweet growing time , in the young life within you . ' and the wind kissed it and the dew wept tears over it , but the fir - tree did not understand .
the many new ships had the scent of fir - trees .
why did the stork believe that the fir-trees were going to egypt ?
why did the stork believe that the fir-trees were going to egypt ?