youmusthavebeenveryhappy."

"happy!"exclaimedthefir-tree,andthenashereflecteduponwhathehadbeentellingthem,hesaid,"ah,yes!afterallthosewerehappydays."butwhenhewentonandrelatedallaboutchristmas-eve,andhowhehadbeendressedupwithcakesandlights,themicesaid,"howhappyyoumusthavebeen,youoldfir-tree."

"iamnotoldatall,"repliedthetree,"ionlycamefromtheforestthiswinter,iamnowcheckedinmygrowth."

"whatsplendidstoriesyoucanrelate,"saidthelittledthenextnightfourothermicecamewiththemtohearwhatthetreehadtotell.themorehetalkedthemoreheremembered,andthenhethoughttohimself,"thosewerehappydays,buttheymaycomeagain.humptydumptyfelldownstairs,andyethemarriedtheprincess;perhapsimaymarryaprincesstoo."andthefir-treethoughtoftheprettylittlebirch-treethatgrewintheforest,whichwastohimarealbeautifulprincess.

"whoishumptydumpty?"askedthelittlemice.andthenthetreerelatedthewholestory;hecouldremembereverysingleword,andthelittlemicewassodelightedwithit,thattheywerereadytojumptothetopofthetree.thenextnightagreatmanymoremicemadetheirappearance,andonsundaytworatscamewiththem;buttheysaid,itwasnotaprettystoryatall,andthelittlemicewereverysorry,foritmadethemalsothinklessofit.

"doyouknowonlyonestory?"askedtherats.

"onlyone,"repliedthefir-tree;"ihearditonthehappiesteveningofmylife;butididnotknowiwassohappyatthetime."

"wethinkitisaverymiserablestory,"saidtherats."don'tyouknowanystoryaboutbacon,ortallowinthestoreroom."

"no,"repliedthetree.

"manythankstoyouthen,"repliedtherats,andtheymarchedoff.

thelittlemicealsokeptawayafterthis,andthetreesighed,andsaid,"itwasverypleasantwhenthemerrylittlemicesatroundmeandlistenedwhileitalked.nowthatisallpassedtoo.however,ishallconsidermyselfhappywhensomeonecomestotakemeoutofthisplace."butwouldthiseverhappen?yes;onemorningpeoplecametoclearoutthegarret,theboxeswerepackedaway,andthetreewaspulledoutofthecorner,andthrownroughlyonthegarretfloor;thentheservantdraggeditoutuponthestaircasewherethedaylightshone."nowlifeisbeginningagain,"saidthetree,rejoicinginthesunshineandfreshair.thenitwascarrieddownstairsandtakenintothecourtyardsoquickly,thatitforgottothinkofitself,andcouldonlylookabout,therewassomuchtobeseen.thecourtwasclosetoagarden,whereeverythinglookedblooming.freshandfragrantroseshungoverthelittlepalings.thelinden-treeswereinblossom;whiletheswallowsflewhereandthere,crying,"twit,twit,twit,mymateiscoming,"-butitwasnotthefir-treetheymeant."nowishalllive,"criedthetree,joyfullyspreadingoutitsbranches;butalas!theywereallwitheredandyellow,anditlayinacorneramongstweedsandnettles.thestarofgoldpaperstillstuckinthetopofthetreeandglitteredinthesunshine.inthesamecourtyardtwoofthemerrychildrenwereplayingwhohaddancedroundthetreeatchristmas,andhadbeensohappy.theyoungestsawthegildedstar,andranandpulleditoffthetree."lookwhatisstickingtotheuglyoldfir-tree,"saidthechild,treadingonthebranchestilltheycrackledunderhisboots.andthetreesawallthefreshbrightflowersinthegarden,andthenlookedatitself,andwishedithadremainedinthedarkcornerofthegarret.itthoughtofitsfreshyouthintheforest,ofthemerrychristmasevening,andofthelittlemicewhohadlistenedtothestoryof"humptydumpty.""past!