twowinterspassed,andwhenthethirdarrived,thetreehadgrownsotallthattheharewasobligedtorunroundit.yetitremainedunsatisfied,andwouldexclaim,"oh,ificouldbutkeepongrowingtallandold!thereisnothingelseworthcaringforintheworld!"intheautumn,asusual,thewood-cutterscameandcutdownseveralofthetallesttrees,andtheyoungfir-tree,whichwasnowgrowntoitsfullheight,shudderedasthenobletreesfelltotheearthwithacrash.afterthebrancheswereloppedoff,thetrunkslookedsoslenderandbare,thattheycouldscarcelybetheywereplaceduponwagons,anddrawnbyhorsesoutoftheforest."whereweretheygoing?whatwouldbecomeofthem?"theyoungfir-treewishedverymuchtoknow;sointhespring,whentheswallowsandthestorkscame,itasked,"doyouknowwherethosetreesweretaken?didyoumeetthem?"

theswallowsknewnothing,butthestork,afteralittlereflection,noddedhishead,andsaid,"yes,ithinkido.imetseveralnewshipswheniflewfromegypt,andtheyhadfinemaststhatsmeltlikefir.ithinkthesemusthavebeenthetrees;iassureyoutheywerestately,verystately."

"oh,howiwishiweretallenoughtogoonthesea,"saidthefir-tree."whatisthesea,andwhatdoesitlooklike?"

"itwouldtaketoomuchtimetoexplain,"saidthestork,flyingquicklyaway.

"rejoiceinthyyouth,"saidthesunbeam;"rejoiceinthyfreshgrowth,andtheyounglifethatisinthee."

andthewindkissedthetree,andthedewwatereditwithtears;butthefir-treeregardedthemnot.

christmas-timedrewnear,andmanyyoungtreeswerecutdown,someevensmallerandyoungerthanthefir-treewhoenjoyedneitherrestnorpeacewithlongingtoleaveitsforesthome.theseyoungtrees,whichwerechosenfortheirbeauty,kepttheirbranches,andwerealsolaidonwagonsanddrawnbyhorsesoutoftheforest.

"wherearetheygoing?"askedthefir-tree."theyarenottallerthaniam:indeed,oneismuchless;andwhyarethebranchesnotcutoff?wherearetheygoing?"

"weknow,weknow,"sangthesparrows;"wehavelookedinatthewindowsofthehousesinthetown,andweknowwhatisdonewithyaredressedupinthemostsplendidmanner.wehaveseenthemstandinginthemiddleofawarmroom,andadornedwithallsortsofbeautifulthings,-honeycakes,gildedapples,playthings,andmanyhundredsofwaxtapers."

"andthen,"askedthefir-tree,tremblingthroughallitsbranches,"andthenwhathappens?"

"wedidnotseeanymore,"saidthesparrows;"butthiswasenoughforus."

"iwonderwhetheranythingsobrilliantwilleverhappentome,"thoughtthefir-tree."itwouldbemuchbetterthancrossingthesea.ilongforitalmostwithpain.oh!whenwillchristmasbehere?iamnowastallandwellgrownasthosewhichweretakenawaylastyear.oh!thatiwerenowlaidonthewagon,orstandinginthewarmroom,withallthatbrightnessandsplendoraroundme!somethingbetterandmorebeautifulistocomeafter,orthetreeswouldnotbesodeckedout.yes,whatfollowswillbegranderandmoresplendid.whatcanitbe?iamwearywithlonging.iscarcelyknowhowifeel."

"rejoicewithus,"saidtheairandthesunlight."enjoythineownbrightlifeinthefreshair."

butthetreewouldnotrejoice,thoughitgrewtallereveryday;and,winterandsummer,itsdark-greenfoliagemightbeseenintheforest,whilepassersbywouldsay,"whatabeautifultree!"