alnuts, as if they had grown there; and above and all around were
hundreds of red, blue, and white tapers, which were fastened upon the
branches. Dolls, exactly like real men and women, were placed under the
green leaves,--the tree had never seen such things before,--and at the
very top was fastened a glittering star made of gold tinsel. Oh, it was
very beautiful. "This evening," they all exclaimed, "how bright it will
be!"

"O that the evening were come," thought the tree, "and the tapers
lighted! Then I shall know what else is going to happen. Will the trees
of the forest come to see me? Will the sparrows peep in at the windows,
I wonder, as they fly? Shall I grow faster here than in the forest, and
shall I keep on all these ornaments during summer and winter?" But
guessing was of very little use. His back ached with trying, and this
pain is as bad for a slender fir tree as headache is for us.

At last the tapers were lighted, and then what a glistening blaze of
splendor the tree presented! It trembled so with joy in all its branches
that one of the candles fell among the green leaves and burned some of
them. "Help! help!" exclaimed the young ladies; but no harm was done,
for they quickly extinguished the fire.

After this the tree tried not to tremble at all, though the fire
frightened him, he was so anxious not to hurt any of the beautiful
ornaments, even while their brilliancy dazzled him.

And now the folding doors were thrown open, and a troop of children
rushed in as if they intended to upset the tree, and were followed more
slowly by their elders. For a moment the little ones stood silent with
astonishment, and then they shouted for joy till the room rang; and they
danced merrily round the tree while one present after another was taken
from it.

"What are they doing? What will happen next?" thought the tree. At last
the candles burned down to the branches and were put out. Then the
children received permission to plunder the tree.

Oh, how they rushed upon it! There was such a riot that the branches
cracked, and had it not been fastened with the glistening star to the
ceiling, it must have been thrown down.

Then the children danced about with their pretty toys, and no one
noticed the tree except the children's maid, who came and peeped among
the branches to see if an apple or a fig had been forgotten.

* * * * *

"A story, a story," cried the children, pulling a little