ashorttimebeforechristmas,thediscontentedfir-treewasthefirsttofall.astheaxecutthroughthestem,anddividedthepith,thetreefellwithagroantotheearth,consciousofpainandfaintness,andforgettingallitsanticipationsofhappiness,insorrowatleavingitshomeintheforest.itknewthatitshouldneveragainseeitsdearoldcompanions,thetrees,northelittlebushesandmany-coloredflowersthathadgrownbyitsside;perhapsnoteventhebirds.neitherwasthejourneyatallpleasant.thetreefirstrecovereditselfwhilebeingunpackedinthecourtyardofahouse,withseveralothertrees;anditheardamansay,"weonlywantone,andthisistheprettiest."

thencametwoservantsingrandlivery,andcarriedthefir-treeintoalargeandbeautifulapartment.onthewallshungpictures,andnearthegreatstovestoodgreatchinavases,withlionsonthelids.therewererockingchairs,silkensofas,largetables,coveredwithpictures,books,andplaythings,worthagreatdealofmoney,-atleast,thechildrensaidso.thenthefir-treewasplacedinalargetub,fullofsand;butgreenbaizehungallaroundit,sothatnoonecouldseeitwasatub,anditstoodonaveryhandsomethefir-treetrembled!"whatwasgoingtohappentohimnow?"someyoungladiescame,andtheservantshelpedthemtoadorntheonebranchtheyhunglittlebagscutoutofcoloredpaper,andeachbagwasfilledwithsweetmeats;fromotherbrancheshunggildedapplesandwalnuts,asiftheyhadgrownthere;andabove,andallround,werehundredsofred,blue,andwhitetapers,whichwerefastenedonthebranches.dolls,exactlylikerealbabies,wereplacedunderthegreenleaves,-thetreehadneverseensuchthingsbefore,-andattheverytopwasfastenedaglitteringstar,madeoftinsel.oh,itwasverybeautiful!

"thisevening,"theyallexclaimed,"howbrightitwillbe!""oh,thattheeveningwerecome,"thoughtthetree,"andthetaperslighted!thenishallknowwhatelseisgoingtohappen.willthetreesoftheforestcometoseeme?iwonderifthesparrowswillpeepinatthewindowsastheyfly?shalligrowfasterhere,andkeeponalltheseornamentssummerandwinter?"butguessingwasofverylittleuse;itmadehisbarkache,andthispainisasbadforaslenderfir-tree,asheadacheisforus.atlastthetaperswerelighted,andthenwhataglisteningblazeoflightthetreepresented!ittrembledsowithjoyinallitsbranches,thatoneofthecandlesfellamongthegreenleavesandburntsomeofthem."help!help!"exclaimedtheyoungladies,buttherewasnodanger,fortheyquicklyextinguishedthefire.afterthis,thetreetriednottotrembleatall,thoughthefirefrightenedhim;hewassoanxiousnottohurtanyofthebeautifulornaments,evenwhiletheirbrilliancydazzledhim.andnowthefoldingdoorswerethrownopen,andatroopofchildrenrushedinasiftheyintendedtoupsetthetree;theywerefollowedmoresilentlybytheirelders.foramomentthelittleonesstoodsilentwithastonishment,andthentheyshoutedforjoy,tilltheroomrang,andtheydancedmerrilyroundthetree,whileonepresentafteranotherwastakenfromit.

"whataretheydoing?whatwillhappennext?"thoughtthelastthecandlesburntdowntothebranchesandwereputthechildrenreceivedpermissiontoplunderthetree.

oh,howtheyrusheduponit,tillthebranchescracked,andhaditnotbeenfastenedwiththeglisteningstartotheceiling,itmusthavebeenthrowndown.thechildrenthendancedaboutwiththeirprettytoys,andnoonenoticedthetree,exceptthechildren'smaidwhocameandpeepedamongthebranchestoseeifanappleorafighadbeenforgotten.

"astory,astory,"criedthechildren,pullingalittlefatmantowardsthetree.

"nowweshallbeinthegreenshade,"saidtheman,asheseatedhimselfunderit,"andthetreewillhavethepleasureofhearingalso,butishallonlyrelateonestory;whatshallitbe?