(1845)
Far down in the forest, where the warm sun and the fresh air made a
sweet resting-place, grew a pretty little fir-tree; and yet it was not happy, it
wished so much to be tall like its 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 heeded
them not. Sometimes the children would bring a large basket of raspberries
or strawberries, wreathed on a straw, and seat themselves near the fir-tree,
and say, “Is it not a pretty little tree?” which made it feel 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 top
would over-look the wide world. 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.” The tree was so discontented, 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, a hare would come springing along, and jump right
over the little tree; and 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, if I could but keep on growing tall and old! There is nothing else
worth caring for in the world!” In the autumn, as usual, the wood-cutters
came and cut down several of the tallest trees, and the young fir-tree, which
was now grown to its 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 upon wagons, and drawn by horses out of the forest. “Where were
