Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-05
lQlOrtestcr 9allg Spp.
The Old Oak Trees Last Dream,
CHRISTMAS TALE.
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.


day, and sleep during the night, and have then
our dreams with the tree it is otherwise. A
tree IS awake for three quarters of a year. 1t
sleeps IN wlnter-that is lis mght-after he
long day which is called spring, summer. and
autumn.
Many warm summer day had the epheme.
ron insect frolicked round the oak trees head
lived, moved about, and found itself happy .
and when the little creature reposed for mo.
ment IN calm enjoyment on one of the great
fresh oak leaves, the tree always said -
Poor little thing one day alone is the span
of thy whole life All, how short! 1t is very
sad"
Sad" the ephemeron always replied.
"What dost thou mean by that Everything
is so charming, so warm and delightful that |
am quite happy"
But for one day only; then all is over"
'All is over" exclaimed the insect. "What
Is the meaning of all this Is all over with
thee, also?"
"No; may live, perhaps, thousands of thy
days, and my lifetime is tor centuries. 1t is
SO long period that thou couldst not calculate
it,"
'No for l do not understand thee. Thou
hast thousands of my days, but have thou
sands of moments to he happy in. Is al. the
beauty in the world at an end when thou Iii.
est g"
ooh! by no means" replied the tree. at
will last lOnger-much, much longer than |
can conceive"
"Well, l think we are much on par, only
that we reckon differently
And the ephemeron danced and foated about
in the sunshine, and enjoyed itself with its
pretty little delicate wings, like the most min
ute tower--enjoyed itself in the warm air,
which was so fragrant with the sweet perfumes
a. 4 II 1 l.. 4
and of the elder flower, not to speak of the
woodbine, the primrose, and the wild mint.
The scent was SO strong that the ephemeron
was almost intoxicated by it. The day was
long and pleasant full OF gladness and sweet
perceptions and when the sun set the little
insect felt sort Of pleasing languor creeping
over it, after all its enjOyments Its wings
would no longer carry it, and very gently it
glided down upon the soft blade OF grass that
was slightly waving in the evening breeze
there dropped its tiny head and fell into a calm
sleep-the sleep Of death.
"Poor little insect p exclaimed the oak tree
"thy life was far too short"
And every summers day were repeated
similar dance, a similar conversation, and
similar death. This went on with the whole
generation of ephemera and all were equally
happy-egualy gay. The oak tree remained
awake during its spring morning, its summer
day, and its autumn evening" now it was near
its sleeping time-its night; the winter was
close at hand.
Already the tempests were singing, Good
night, good night! Thy leaves are faIliug-we
pluck them, pluck them Try if thou canst
slumber; we shall sing thee to sleep, we shall
rock thee to sleep; and thy old boughs like
this-they are creaking in their JOY Softly,
softly sleep! 1t is thy three hundred and six
., Et.l 1T 1p,lx No, =.
falling from the heavy clouds; it will soon be
wide sheet-awarm coverlet for thy eet, Sleep
calmly and dream pleasantly !"
And the oak tree stood disrobed of all its
leaves to go to rest for the whole long winter,
and during that time to dream many dreams,
often something stirring and exciting, like the
dreams of human beings.
1t, too, had once been little. Yes, an acorn
had been its cradle According to mans reck-
oning of time, it was now living i'll its fourth
century. 1t was the strongest and lOtiest tree
in the wood, with its venerable head reared
high above all the other trees and it was seen
far away at sea, and looked upon as a beacon
by the navigators OF the passing ships. 1t lit
tie thought how many eyes looked out Tor it.
High up amidst its green coronal the wood
pigeons built their nests, and the cucko0's note
was heard from thence and in the autumn,
when the leaves looked like hammered plates
of copper, came birds OF passage, and rested
there before they flew far over the sea. But
now it was winter, and The tree stood leafless,
and the Bonded and gnarled branches were
naked. Crows and jackdaws came and sat
themselves there alternately, and talked of the
rigorous weather which was commencing, and
how difficult it was to find food in winter.
1t was just at the holy Christmas time that
the tree dreamt its most charming dream. Let
us listen to it:
The tree had distinct idea that it was
period of some solemn festival; it thought it
heard all the church bells round ringing, and
it seemed to be a mild summer day. lis lofty
head it fancied, looked fresh and green while
the bright rays OF the sun played among its
thick foliage. The air was laden with the per-
fume OF wild flowers various butterflies
chased each other in sport around its boughs,
and the ephemera danced and amused them
selves. All that, during years, the tree had
known and seen around it, now passed
before it, as in a festive procession. 1t
beheld, as in the olden time, knights
and ladies on horseback, with feathers
i'll their hats and falcons on their hands, riding
through the greenwood it heard the horns OF
the huntsmen, and the baying OF the hounds;
ii saw the enemies troops, with their various
uniforms, their polished armor, their lances
and halberds, pitch theif tents and pull them
down again the watch fires blazed, and the
soldiers sang and slept under the shelteriug
branches Of the tree. 1t beheld lovers meet
in the soft moonlight, and cut their names
that first letter--.upon its olive.green bark
Guitars and Eoian harps were again--but
there were many years between them-hung
up on the boughs of the tree by gay travelling
swains and again their sweet sounds broke ON
the Stiffness around. The wood pigeons cooed
as if they weie describing the feelings Of the
tree, and the cuckoo told how many summer
days it should yet live
Then it was as if Il new current OF life rush
ed from its lowest roots up TO its highest
branches, even to the arthest leaves the
tree felt that it extended itself herewith yet
it perceived that its roots down in the ground
were also full of life and warmth it felt its
strength increasing, and that it was growing
taller and taller. The trunk shot up-there
was no pause more and more it grew-its
head became fuller, broader-and as the tree
grew it became happier, and its desire in
creased to rise up still higher, even until it
could reach the warm, blazing sun.
Already had it mounted above the clouds,
which, like multitudes of dark migratory
birds, or focks OF white swans, were floating
under it; and every leaf OF the tree that bad
eyes could see. The stars became visible dur.
ing the day, and looked so large and bright:
each of them shone like pair of mild, clear
eyes. They might have called to memory
dear, well-known eyes-the eyes Of children
the eyes OF lovers when they met beneath the
tree.
1t is moment of exquisite delight. Yet in
the midst of its pleasure it felt desire, a
longing that all the other trees in the wood
beneath-all the bushes, plants, and flowers
might be able TO lift themselves like il and IN
participate in its joyful and triumphant feel.
ings. The mighty oak tree, in the midst of its
glorious dreams, could not be entirely nanny
unless it had all its old friends with it, great