HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES




THE FIR TREE


FAR away in the forest, where the warm sun and the fresh air made a
sweet resting place, grew a pretty little fir tree. The situation was
all that could be desired; and yet the tree was not happy, it wished so
much to be like its tall companions, the pines and firs which grew
around it. The sun shone, and the soft air fluttered its leaves, and the little
peasant children passed by, prattling merrily; but the fir tree did not
heed them. Sometimes the children would bring a large basket of raspberries or
strawberries, wreathed on straws, and seat themselves near the fir
tree, and say, "Is it not a pretty little tree?" which made it feel even
more unhappy than before. And yet all this while the tree grew a notch or joint taller every year,
for by the number of joints in the stem of a fir tree we can discover
its age. Still, as it grew, it complained: "Oh! how I wish I were as tall as the
other trees; then I would spread out my branches on every side, and my
crown would overlook the wide world around. I should have the birds
building their nests on my boughs, and when the wind blew, I should bow
with stately dignity, like my tall companions." So discontented was the tree, that it took no pleasure in the warm
sunshine, the birds, or the rosy clouds that floated over it morning and
evening. Sometimes in winter, when the snow lay white and glittering on the
ground, there was a little hare that would come springing along, and
jump right over the little tree's head; then how mortified it would
feel. Two winters passed; and when the third arrived, the tree had grown so
tall that the hare was obliged to run round it. Yet it remained
unsatisfied and would exclaim: "Oh! to grow, to grow; if I could but
keep on growing tall and old! There is nothing else worth caring for in
the world." In the autumn the woodcutters came, as usual, and cut down several of
the tallest trees; and the young fir, which was now grown to a good,
full height, shuddered as the noble trees fell to the earth with a
crash. After the branches were lopped off, the trunks looked so slender and
bare that they could scarcely be recognized. Then they were placed, one
upon another, upon wagons and drawn by horses out of the forest. Where
could they be going? What would become of them? The young fir tree
wished very much to know. So in the spring, when the swallows and the storks came, it asked: "Do
you know where those trees were taken? Did you meet them?" The swallows knew nothing; but the stork, after a little reflection,
nodded his head and said: "Yes, I think I do. As I flew from Egypt, I
met several new ships, and they had fine masts that smelt like fir. These must have been the trees; and I assure you they were stately; they
sailed right gloriously!" "Oh, how I wish I were tall enough to go on the sea," said the fir tree. "Tell me what is this sea, and what does it look like?" "It would take too much time to explain--a great deal too much," said
the stork, flying quickly away. "Rejoice in thy youth," said the sunbeam; "rejoice in thy fresh growth
and in the young life that is in thee." And the wind kissed the tree, and the dew watered it with tears, but the
fir tree regarded them not. *       *       *       *       *

Christmas time drew near, and many young trees were cut down, some that
were even smaller and younger than the fir tree, who enjoyed neither
rest nor peace for longing to leave its forest home. These young trees,
which were chosen for their beauty, kept their branches, and they, also,
were laid on wagons and drawn by horses far away out of the forest. "Where are they going?" asked the fir tree. "They are not taller than I
am; indeed, one is not so tall. And why do they keep all their branches? Where are they going?" "We know, we know," sang the sparrows; "we have looked in at the windows
of the houses in the town, and we know what is done with them. Oh! you
cannot think what honor and glory they receive. They are dressed up in
the most splendid manner. We have seen them standing in the middle of a
warm room, and adorned with all sorts of beautiful things--honey cakes,
gilded apples, playthings, and many hundreds of wax tapers." "And then," asked the fir tree, trembling in all its branches, "and then
what happens?" "We did not see any more," said the sparrows; "but this was enough for
us." "I wonder whether anything so brilliant will ever happen to me," thought
the fir tree. "It would be better even than crossing the sea. I long for
it almost with pain. Oh, when will Christmas be here? I am now as tall
and well grown as those which were taken away last year. O that I were
now laid on the wagon, or standing in the warm room with all that
brightness and splendor around me! Something better and more beautiful
is to come after, or the trees would not be so decked out. Yes, what
follows will be grander and more splendid. What can it be? I am weary
with longing. I scarcely know what it is that I feel." "Rejoice in our love," said the air and the sunlight. "Enjoy thine own
bright life in the fresh air." But the tree would not rejoice, though it grew taller every day, and
winter and summer its dark-green foliage might be seen in the forest,
while passers-by would say, "What a beautiful tree!" A short time before the next Christmas the discontented fir tree was the
first to fall. As the ax cut sharply through the stem and divided the
pith, the tree fell with a groan to the earth, conscious of pain and
faintness and forgetting all its dreams of happiness in sorrow at
leaving its home in the forest. It knew that it should never again see
its dear old companions the trees, nor the little bushes and
many-colored flowers that had grown by its side; perhaps not even the
birds. Nor was the journey at all pleasant. The tree first recovered itself while being unpacked in the courtyard of
a house, with several other trees; and it heard a man say: "We only want
one, and this is the prettiest. This is beautiful!" Then came two servants in grand livery and carried the fir tree into a
large and beautiful apartment. Pictures hung on the walls, and near the
tall tile stove stood great china vases with lions on the lids. There
were rocking-chairs, silken sofas, and large tables covered with
pictures; and there were books, and playthings that had cost a hundred
times a hundred dollars--at least so said the children. Then the fir tree was placed in a large tub full of sand--but green
baize hung all round it so that no one could know it was a tub--and it
stood on a very handsome carpet. Oh, how the fir tree trembled! What was
going to happen to him now? Some young ladies came, and the servants
helped them to adorn the tree. On one branch they hung little bags cut out of colored paper, and each
bag was filled with sweetmeats.