Section 1
Deep inside the forest, where the sun shines warmly and the air feels fresh and pleasant, there was a beautiful little fir tree. However, it wasn’t happy because it longed to be as tall as the other trees around it, like the majestic pines and firs. Even though the sun brightly lit up its leaves and a gentle breeze rustled them, and the cheerful children from the nearby village chattered happily as they passed by, the fir tree paid no attention to them. Once in a while, the children would come with a big basket full of delicious raspberries or strawberries, neatly arranged on a straw, and they would sit close to the little fir tree. They would say, “Isn’t it such a pretty tree?” But instead of feeling happy, these words made the tree even sadder than before. However, even though it felt unhappy, the tree kept growing a little taller every year. You see, we can tell how old a fir tree is by counting the number of sections or parts in its trunk.
As it continued to grow, it expressed its discontent, saying, “Oh, how I wish I could be as tall as the other trees! Then I could stretch my branches in every direction and have a view of the vast world. Birds would build their nests on my sturdy limbs, and when the wind blew, I would gracefully bend and sway, just like my tall companions.” The tree was extremely unhappy and couldn’t find joy in the warm sunshine, the birds, or the beautiful pink clouds that passed by each morning and evening. Even in winter, when the ground was covered in sparkling white snow, a hare would come bounding along and effortlessly leap over the little tree. This made the tree feel deeply embarrassed and disheartened. After two winters had gone by, the tree had grown so tall that the hare had to run in circles around it. However, the tree still felt dissatisfied and would say, “Oh, if only I could keep growing taller and older! There’s nothing else in the world that matters!” As autumn arrived, the woodcutters came as they always did and started chopping down several of the tallest trees. The young fir tree, now fully grown and standing tall, trembled as it witnessed the majestic trees crashing down to the ground. Once the branches were removed, the trunks appeared thin and bare, hardly recognizable. They were then loaded onto wagons and pulled out of the forest by horses. “Where are they being taken? What will happen to them?” wondered the young fir tree. It was eager to find out, so when the spring arrived and the swallows and storks returned, it eagerly asked, “Do you happen to know where those trees were taken? Did you come across them on your journey?”
The swallows didn’t have any information, but the stork, after thinking for a moment, nodded and said, “Yes, I believe I do know. When I was flying from Egypt, I came across several new ships, and they had strong masts that had the scent of fir. I think those must have been the trees you’re asking about. Let me assure you, they were quite grand, very grand indeed.”
“Oh, how I long to be tall enough to explore the sea,” expressed the fir-tree. “What is the sea like? How does it appear?”
“It would require too much time to tell you,” replied the stork, swiftly flying away.
“Embrace your youth,” reassured the sunbeam. “Celebrate your vibrant growth and the youthful spirit within you.”
The tree was kissed by the wind, and the dew gently watered it with tears, but the fir tree paid them no attention. Christmas was approaching, and many young trees were being cut down, some even smaller and younger than the fir tree. It couldn’t find any rest or peace as it yearned to leave its forest home. These young trees, selected for their beauty, kept their branches intact. They too were placed on wagons and pulled out of the forest by horses.
“Where are they being taken?” questioned the fir tree. “They aren’t taller than I am; in fact, some are even smaller. And why haven’t their branches been removed? Where are they being taken?”
“We know, we know,” chirped the sparrows. “We have peeked through the windows of the houses in the town, and we know what happens to them. They get dressed up in the most magnificent way. We have seen them standing in the cozy rooms, adorned with all kinds of lovely items - delicious honey cakes, shiny golden apples, toys, and countless wax candles.”
“And then,” inquired the fir tree, its branches quivering with anticipation, “and then what happens next?”
“We didn’t see anything more,” replied the sparrows. “But what we saw was quite delightful for us.”
