[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
In autumn the wood-cutters always came and felled as this Fir Tree, who could never rest, but always wanted
some of the largest trees. This happened every year; and to be off. These young trees, and they were always the fin-
the young Fir Tree, that had now grown to a very comely est looking, retained their branches; they were laid on carts,
size, trembled at the sight; for the magnificent great trees and the horses drew them out of the wood.
fell to the earth with noise and cracking, the branches were Where are they going to? asked the Fir. They are not
lopped off, and the trees looked long and bare; they were taller than I; there was one indeed that was considerably
hardly to be recognised; and then they were laid in carts, shorter; and why do they retain all their branches? Whither
and the horses dragged them out of the wood. are they taken?
Where did they go to? What became of them? We know! We know! chirped the Sparrows. We have
In spring, when the swallows and the storks came, the peeped in at the windows in the town below! We know
Tree asked them, Don t you know where they have been whither they are taken! The greatest splendor and the great-
taken? Have you not met them anywhere? est magnificence one can imagine await them. We peeped
The swallows did not know anything about it; but the through the windows, and saw them planted in the middle
Stork looked musing, nodded his head, and said, Yes; I of the warm room and ornamented with the most splendid
think I know; I met many ships as I was flying hither from things, with gilded apples, with gingerbread, with toys, and
Egypt; on the ships were magnificent masts, and I venture to many hundred lights!
assert that it was they that smelt so of fir. I may congratulate And then? asked the Fir Tree, trembling in every bough.
you, for they lifted themselves on high most majestically! And then? What happens then?
Oh, were I but old enough to fly across the sea! But how We did not see anything more: it was incomparably
does the sea look in reality? What is it like? beautiful.
That would take a long time to explain, said the Stork, I would fain know if I am destined for so glorious a ca-
Andersen s Fairy Tales Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com
reer, cried the Tree, rejoicing. That is still better than to two large Chinese vases with lions on the covers. There,
cross the sea! What a longing do I suffer! Were Christmas too, were large easy-chairs, silken sofas, large tables full of
but come! I am now tall, and my branches spread like the picture-books and full of toys, worth hundreds and hun-
others that were carried off last year! Oh! were I but already dreds of crowns at least the children said so. And the Fir
on the cart! Were I in the warm room with all the splendor Tree was stuck upright in a cask that was filled with sand;
and magnificence! Yes; then something better, something but no one could see that it was a cask, for green cloth was
still grander, will surely follow, or wherefore should they hung all round it, and it stood on a large gaily-colored car-
thus ornament me? Something better, something still pet. Oh! how the Tree quivered! What was to happen? The
grander must follow but what? Oh, how I long, how I suf- servants, as well as the young ladies, decorated it. On one
fer! I do not know myself what is the matter with me! branch there hung little nets cut out of colored paper, and
Rejoice in our presence! said the Air and the Sunlight. each net was filled with sugarplums; and among the other
Rejoice in thy own fresh youth! boughs gilded apples and walnuts were suspended, looking
But the Tree did not rejoice at all; he grew and grew, and as though they had grown there, and little blue and white
was green both winter and summer. People that saw him tapers were placed among the leaves. Dolls that looked for
said, What a fine tree! and towards Christmas he was one all the world like men the Tree had never beheld such be-
of the first that was cut down. The axe struck deep into fore were seen among the foliage, and at the very top a
the very pith; the Tree fell to the earth with a sigh; he felt large star of gold tinsel was fixed. It was really splendid
a pang it was like a swoon; he could not think of happi- beyond description splendid.
ness, for he was sorrowful at being separated from his home, This evening! they all said. How it will shine this eve-
from the place where he had sprung up. He well knew that ning!
he should never see his dear old comrades, the little bush- Oh! thought the Tree. If the evening were but come! If
es and flowers around him, anymore; perhaps not even the the tapers were but lighted! And then I wonder what will
birds! The departure was not at all agreeable. happen! Perhaps the other trees from the forest will come to
The Tree only came to himself when he was unloaded look at me! Perhaps the sparrows will beat against the win-
in a court-yard with the other trees, and heard a man say, dowpanes! I wonder if I shall take root here, and winter and
That one is splendid! We don t want the others. Then two summer stand covered with ornaments!
servants came in rich livery and carried the Fir Tree into He knew very much about the matter but he was so im-
a large and splendid drawing-room. Portraits were hang- patient that for sheer longing he got a pain in his back, and
ing on the walls, and near the white porcelain stove stood this with trees is the same thing as a headache with us.
0 Andersen s Fairy Tales Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com 1
The candles were now lighted what brightness! What I shall tell only one story. Now which will you have; that
splendor! The Tree trembled so in every bough that one of about Ivedy-Avedy, or about Humpy-Dumpy, who tumbled
the tapers set fire to the foliage. It blazed up famously. downstairs, and yet after all came to the throne and mar-
Help! Help! cried the young ladies, and they quickly put ried the princess?
out the fire. Ivedy-Avedy, cried some; Humpy-Dumpy, cried the
Now the Tree did not even dare tremble. What a state he others. There was such a bawling and screaming the Fir
was in! He was so uneasy lest he should lose something of Tree alone was silent, and he thought to himself, Am I not
his splendor, that he was quite bewildered amidst the glare to bawl with the rest? Am I to do nothing whatever? for he
and brightness; when suddenly both folding-doors opened was one of the company, and had done what he had to do.
and a troop of children rushed in as if they would upset And the man told about Humpy-Dumpy that tumbled
the Tree. The older persons followed quietly; the little ones down, who notwithstanding came to the throne, and at last
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]