Two winters passed, and when the third arrived, the tree hadgrown so tall that the hare was obliged to run round it. Yet itremained unsatisfied, and would exclaim, "Oh, if I could but keep ongrowing tall and old! There is nothing else worth caring for in theworld!" In the autumn, as usual, the wood-cutters came and cut downseveral of the tallest trees, and the young fir-tree, which was nowgrown to its full height, shuddered as the noble trees fell to theearth with a crash. After the branches were lopped off, the trunkslooked so slender and bare, that they could scarcely be recognized.Then they were placed upon wagons, and drawn by horses out of theforest. "Where were they going? What would become of them?" Theyoung fir-tree wished very much to know; so in the spring, when theswallows and the storks came, it asked, "Do you know where those treeswere taken? Did you meet them?"
  The swallows knew nothing, but the stork, after a littlereflection, nodded his head, and said, "Yes, I think I do. I metseveral new ships when I flew from Egypt, and they had fine masts thatsmelt like fir. I think these must have been the trees; I assure youthey were stately, very stately."
  "Oh, how I wish I were tall enough to go on the sea," said thefir-tree. "What is the sea, and what does it look like?"
  "It would take too much time to explain," said the stork, flyingquickly away.
  "Rejoice in thy youth," said the sunbeam; "rejoice in thy freshgrowth, and the young life that is in thee."
  And the wind kissed the tree, and the dew watered it with tears;but the fir-tree regarded them not.
  Christmas-time drew near, and many young trees were cut down, someeven smaller and younger than the fir-tree who enjoyed neither restnor peace with longing to leave its forest home. These young trees,which were chosen for their beauty, kept their branches, and were alsolaid on wagons and drawn by horses out of the forest.
  "Where are they going?" asked the fir-tree. "They are not tallerthan I am: indeed, one is much less; and why are the branches notcut off? Where are they going?"
  "We know, we know," sang the sparrows; "we have looked in at thewindows of the houses in the town, and we know what is done with them.They are dressed up in the most splendid manner. We have seen themstanding in the middle of a warm room, and adorned with all sorts ofbeautiful things,- honey cakes, gilded apples, playthings, and manyhundreds of wax tapers."
  "And then," asked the fir-tree, trembling through all itsbranches, "and then what happens?"
  "We did not see any more," said the sparrows; "but this was enoughfor us."
  "I wonder whether anything so brilliant will ever happen to me,"thought the fir-tree. "It would be much better than crossing thesea. I long for it almost with pain. Oh! when will Christmas behere? I am now as tall and well grown as those which were taken awaylast year. Oh! that I were now laid on the wagon, or standing in thewarm room, with all that brightness and splendor around me!Something better and more beautiful is to come after, or the treeswould not be so decked out. Yes, what follows will be grander and moresplendid. What can it be? I am weary with longing. I scarcely know howI feel."
  "Rejoice with us," said the air and the sunlight. "Enjoy thine ownbright life in the fresh air."
  But the tree would not rejoice, though it grew taller every day;and, winter and summer, its dark-green foliage might be seen in theforest, while passers by would say, "What a beautiful tree!"