the fir tree-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIR　TREE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　FAR　down　in　the　forest；　where　the　warm　sun　and　the　fresh　air

made　a　sweet　resting…place；　grew　a　pretty　little　fir…tree；　and　yet

it　was　not　happy；　it　wished　so　much　to　be　tall　like　its　companions…

the　pines　and　firs　which　grew　around　it。　The　sun　shone；　and　the　soft

air　fluttered　its　leaves；　and　the　little　peasant　children　passed　by；

prattling　merrily；　but　the　fir…tree　heeded　them　not。　Sometimes　the

children　would　bring　a　large　basket　of　raspberries　or　strawberries；

wreathed　on　a　straw；　and　seat　themselves　near　the　fir…tree；　and　say；

〃Is　it　not　a　pretty　little　tree？〃　which　made　it　feel　more　unhappy　than

before。　And　yet　all　this　while　the　tree　grew　a　notch　or　joint　taller

every　year；　for　by　the　number　of　joints　in　the　stem　of　a　fir…tree　we

can　discover　its　age。　Still；　as　it　grew；　it　complained；　〃Oh！　how　I

wish　I　were　as　tall　as　the　other　trees；　then　I　would　spread　out　my

branches　on　every　side；　and　my　top　would　over…look　the　wide　world。　I

should　have　the　birds　building　their　nests　on　my　boughs；　and　when

the　wind　blew；　I　should　bow　with　stately　dignity　like　my　tall

companions。〃　The　tree　was　so　discontented；　that　it　took　no　pleasure　in

the　warm　sunshine；　the　birds；　or　the　rosy　clouds　that　floated　over

it　morning　and　evening。　Sometimes；　in　winter；　when　the　snow　lay

white　and　glittering　on　the　ground；　a　hare　would　come　springing　along；

and　jump　right　over　the　little　tree；　and　then　how　mortified　it　would

feel！　Two　winters　passed；　and　when　the　third　arrived；　the　tree　had

grown　so　tall　that　the　hare　was　obliged　to　run　round　it。　Yet　it

remained　unsatisfied；　and　would　exclaim；　〃Oh；　if　I　could　but　keep　on

growing　tall　and　old！　There　is　nothing　else　worth　caring　for　in　the

world！〃　In　the　autumn；　as　usual；　the　wood…cutters　came　and　cut　down

several　of　the　tallest　trees；　and　the　young　fir…tree；　which　was　now

grown　to　its　full　height；　shuddered　as　the　noble　trees　fell　to　the

earth　with　a　crash。　After　the　branches　were　lopped　off；　the　trunks

looked　so　slender　and　bare；　that　they　could　scarcely　be　recognized。

Then　they　were　placed　upon　wagons；　and　drawn　by　horses　out　of　the

forest。　〃Where　were　they　going？　What　would　become　of　them？〃　The

young　fir…tree　wished　very　much　to　know；　so　in　the　spring；　when　the

swallows　and　the　storks　came；　it　asked；　〃Do　you　know　where　those　trees

were　taken？　Did　you　meet　them？〃

　　　　The　swallows　knew　nothing；　but　the　stork；　after　a　little

reflection；　nodded　his　head；　and　said；　〃Yes；　I　think　I　do。　I　met

several　new　ships　when　I　flew　from　Egypt；　and　they　had　fine　masts　that

smelt　like　fir。　I　think　these　must　have　been　the　trees；　I　assure　you

they　were　stately；　very　stately。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　how　I　wish　I　were　tall　enough　to　go　on　the　sea；〃　said　the

fir…tree。　〃What　is　the　sea；　and　what　does　it　look　like？〃

　　　　〃It　would　take　too　much　time　to　explain；〃　said　the　stork；　flying

quickly　away。

　　　　〃Rejoice　in　thy　youth；〃　said　the　sunbeam；　〃rejoice　in　thy　fresh

growth；　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；　some

even　smaller　and　younger　than　the　fir…tree　who　enjoyed　neither　rest

nor　peace　with　longing　to　leave　its　forest　home。　These　young　trees；

which　were　chosen　for　their　beauty；　kept　their　branches；　and　were　also

laid　on　wagons　and　drawn　by　horses　out　of　the　forest。

　　　　〃Where　are　they　going？〃　asked　the　fir…tree。　〃They　are　not　taller

than　I　am：　indeed；　one　is　much　less；　and　why　are　the　branches　not

cut　off？　Where　are　they　going？〃

　　　　〃We　know；　we　know；〃　sang　the　sparrows；　〃we　have　looked　in　at　the

windows　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　them

standing　in　the　middle　of　a　warm　room；　and　adorned　with　all　sorts　of

beautiful　things；…　honey　cakes；　gilded　apples；　playthings；　and　many

hundreds　of　wax　tapers。〃

　　　　〃And　then；〃　asked　the　fir…tree；　trembling　through　all　its

branches；　〃and　then　what　happens？〃

　　　　〃We　did　not　see　any　more；〃　said　the　sparrows；　〃but　this　was　enough

for　us。〃

　　　　〃I　wonder　whether　anything　so　brilliant　will　ever　happen　to　me；〃

thought　the　fir…tree。　〃It　would　be　much　better　than　crossing　the

sea。　I　long　for　it　almost　with　pain。　Oh！　when　will　Christmas　be

here？　I　am　now　as　tall　and　well　grown　as　those　which　were　taken　away

last　year。　Oh！　that　I　were　now　laid　on　the　wagon；　or　standing　in　the

warm　room；　with　all　that　brightness　and　splendor　around　me！

Something　better　and　more　beautiful　is　to　come　after；　or　the　trees

would　not　be　so　decked　out。　Yes；　what　follows　will　be　grander　and　more

splendid。　What　can　it　be？　I　am　weary　with　longing。　I　scarcely　know　how

I　feel。〃

　　　　〃Rejoice　with　us；〃　said　the　air　and　the　sunlight。　〃Enjoy　thine　own

bright　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　the

forest；　while　passers　by　would　say；　〃What　a　beautiful　tree！〃

　　　　A　short　time　before　Christmas；　the　discontented　fir…tree　was　the

first　to　fall。　As　the　axe　cut　through　the　stem；　and　divided　the

pith；　the　tree　fell　with　a　groan　to　the　earth；　conscious　of　pain　and

faintness；　and　forgetting　all　its　anticipations　of　happiness；　in

sorrow　at　leaving　its　home　in　the　forest。　It　knew　that　it　should　never

again　see　its　dear　old　companions；　the　trees；　nor　the　little　bushes

and　many…colored　flowers　that　had　grown　by　its　side；　perhaps　not

even　the　birds。　Neither　was　the　journey　at　all　pleasant。　The　tree

first　recovered　itself　while　being　unpacked　in　the　courtyard　of　a

house；　with　several　other　trees；　and　it　heard　a　man　say；　〃We　only　want

one；　and　this　is　the　prettiest。〃

　　　　Then　came　two　servants　in　grand　livery；　and　carried　the　fir…tree

into　a　large　and　beautiful　apartment。　On　the　walls　hung　pictures；

and　near　the　great　stove　stood　great　china　vases；　with　lions　on　the

lids。　There　were　rocking　chairs；　silken　sofas；　large　tables；　covered

with　pictures；　books；　and　playthings；　worth　a　great　deal　of　money；…　at

least；　the　children　said　so。　Then　the　fir…tree　was　placed　in　a　large

tub；　full　of　sand；　but　green　baize　hung　all　around　it；　so　that　no

one　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？〃　Some

young　ladies　came；　and　the　servants　helped　them　to　adorn　the　tree。

On　one　branch　they　hung　little　bags　cut　out　of　colored　paper；　and　each

bag　was　filled　with　sweetmeats；　from　other　branches　hung　gilded　apples

and　walnuts；　as　if　they　had　grown　there；　and　above；　and　all　round；

were　hundreds　of　red；　blue；　and　white　tapers；　which　were　fastened　on

the　branches。　Dolls；　exactly　like　real　babies；　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　tinsel。　Oh；　it　was

very　beautiful！

　　　　〃This　evening；〃　they　all　exclaimed；　〃how　bright　it　will　be！〃

〃Oh；　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？　I　wonder　if　the　sparrows　will　peep

in　at　the　windows　as　they　fly？　shall　I　grow　faster　here；　and　keep　on

all　these　ornaments　summer　and　winter？〃　But　guessing　was　of　very

little　use；　it　made　his　bark　ache；　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　light　the　tree　presented！

It　trembled　so　with　joy　in　all　its　branches；　that　one　of　the　candles

fell　among　the　green　leaves　and　burnt　some　of　them。　〃Help！　help！〃

exclaimed　the　young　ladies；　but　there　was　no　danger；　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