A short time before Christmas, the discontented fir-tree was thefirst to fall. As the axe cut through the stem, and divided thepith, the tree fell with a groan to the earth, conscious of pain andfaintness, and forgetting all its anticipations of happiness, insorrow at leaving its home in the forest. It knew that it should neveragain see its dear old companions, the trees, nor the little bushesand many-colored flowers that had grown by its side; perhaps noteven the birds. Neither was the journey at all pleasant. The treefirst recovered itself while being unpacked in the courtyard of ahouse, with several other trees; and it heard a man say, "We only wantone, and this is the prettiest."
  Then came two servants in grand livery, and carried the fir-treeinto a large and beautiful apartment. On the walls hung pictures,and near the great stove stood great china vases, with lions on thelids. There were rocking chairs, silken sofas, large tables, coveredwith pictures, books, and playthings, worth a great deal of money,- atleast, the children said so. Then the fir-tree was placed in a largetub, full of sand; but green baize hung all around it, so that noone could see it was a tub, and it stood on a very handsome carpet.How the fir-tree trembled! "What was going to happen to him now?" Someyoung ladies came, and the servants helped them to adorn the tree.On one branch they hung little bags cut out of colored paper, and eachbag was filled with sweetmeats; from other branches hung gilded applesand walnuts, as if they had grown there; and above, and all round,were hundreds of red, blue, and white tapers, which were fastened onthe branches. Dolls, exactly like real babies, were placed under thegreen leaves,- the tree had never seen such things before,- and at thevery top was fastened a glittering star, made of tinsel. Oh, it wasvery beautiful!
  "This evening," they all exclaimed, "how bright it will be!""Oh, that the evening were come," thought the tree, "and the taperslighted! then I shall know what else is going to happen. Will thetrees of the forest come to see me? I wonder if the sparrows will peepin at the windows as they fly? shall I grow faster here, and keep onall these ornaments summer and winter?" But guessing was of verylittle use; it made his bark ache, and this pain is as bad for aslender fir-tree, as headache is for us. At last the tapers werelighted, and then what a glistening blaze of light the tree presented!It trembled so with joy in all its branches, that one of the candlesfell among the green leaves and burnt some of them. "Help! help!"exclaimed the young ladies, but there was no danger, for theyquickly extinguished the fire. After this, the tree tried not totremble at all, though the fire frightened him; he was so anxiousnot to hurt any of the beautiful ornaments, even while theirbrilliancy dazzled him. And now the folding doors were thrown open,and a troop of children rushed in as if they intended to upset thetree; they were followed more silently by their elders. For a momentthe little ones stood silent with astonishment, and then theyshouted for joy, till the room rang, and they danced merrily round thetree, while one present after another was taken from it.
  "What are they doing? What will happen next?" thought the fir.At last the candles burnt down to the branches and were put out.Then the children received permission to plunder the tree.
  Oh, how they rushed upon it, till the branches cracked, and had itnot been fastened with the glistening star to the ceiling, it musthave been thrown down. The children then danced about with theirpretty toys, and no one noticed the tree, except the children's maidwho came and peeped among the branches to see if an apple or a fig hadbeen forgotten.
  "A story, a story," cried the children, pulling a little fat mantowards the tree.
  "Now we shall be in the green shade," said the man, as he seatedhimself under it, "and the tree will have the pleasure of hearingalso, but I shall only relate one story; what shall it be?