and the
Fir Tree did not like to hear that at all.

Next year he had grown a great joint, and the following year he was
longer still, for in fir trees one can always tell by the number of
rings they have how many years they have been growing.

"Oh, if I were only as great a tree as the other!" sighed the little
Fir, "then I would spread my branches far around, and look out from
my crown into the wide world. The birds would then build nests in
my boughs, and when the wind blew I could nod just as grandly as the
others yonder."

It took no pleasure in the sunshine, in the birds, and in the red
clouds that went sailing over him morning and evening.

When it was winter, and the snow lay all around, white and sparkling,
a hare would often come jumping along, and spring right over the
little Fir Tree. Oh! this made him so angry. But two winters went by,
and when the third came the little Tree had grown so tall that the
hare was obliged to run round it.

"Oh! to grow, to grow, and become old; that's the only fine thing in
the world," thought the Tree.

In the autumn woodcutters always came and felled a few of the largest
trees; that was done this year too, and the little Fir Tree, that was
now quite well grown, shuddered with fear, for the great stately trees
fell to the ground with a crash, and their branches were cut off,
so that the trees looked quite naked, long, and slender--they could
hardly be recognized. But then they were laid upon wagons, and horses
dragged them away out of the wood. Where were they going? What destiny
awaited them?

In the spring, when the Swallows and the Stork came, the Tree asked
them, "Do you know where they were taken? Did you not meet them?"

The Swallows knew nothing about it, but the Stork looked thoughtful,
nodded his head, and said:

"Yes, I think so. I met many new ships when I flew out of Egypt; on
the ships were stately masts; I fancy these were the trees. They smelt
like fir. I can assure you they're stately--very stately."

"Oh that I were only big enough to go over the sea! What kind of thing
is this sea, and how does it look?"

"It would take too long to explain all that," said the Stork, and he
went away.

"Rejoice in thy youth," said the Sunbeams; "rejoice in thy fresh
growth, and in the young life that is within thee."

And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears upon it; but the
Fir Tree did not understand that.

When Christmas-time approached, quite