THE LITTLE FIR TREE STORY

It was still and quiet in the big forest.It was winter and all the little animalswere in the warm of their homes.

A little fir tree grew in the middle of the forest surrounded by lots of other fir trees. Most of them were older and bigger than he was and usually ignore him.

The tree standing next to him was the

oldest tree in the whole forest and

although he could be rather grumpy at

times, now and again he would talk to

the little fir tree and tell him stories of

long ago when the forest was new.

This particularly day he didn’t want to

talk much and the little fir tree was

feeling even more lonely than usually.

He sighed and looked around him:

- Oh! I wished it would snow !

And as if by magic at that verymoment the tiny snowflakes settled on the top of most branches. It was quickly followed by another and another.

The little fir tree knew that the old tree didn’t like the snow very much. They grumbled and they say they weighed their branches down. But the little fir tree was young and strong and as he watched the snow flakes spinning down he

had a glimpse of a lorry at thedistance and at the same time a tiny sparrow flew over the

head.

-The men are coming! The men are coming!–

then he flew quickly away.The little fir

tree looked around.

-What does he mean ? He asked the old trees.-Ah ! – mumbled the old tree. It happens every few years. -What happens ? Asked the little fir tree. The old tree shooked the snow from his branches.

-In the middle of December the men come into the forest and cut down lots of fir trees. They take them away to the big town where people buy them and take them inside their homes.

-Inside their homes ?!-Whatever for ?!

I’m not too sure. When they get the trees inside, they have lights and all sort of coloured things on their branches. Then a couple of weeks later they take them all off again and throw the trees outside to die. An old black bird told me the story. He lived in a town and had seen it happen, so I

know it’s true.

-Oh! My goodness! What a fearful thing to do! I don’t want to go and I don’t you to go either ! -Oh! There’s no chance of them choosing me I’m much too big and old – the old tree reply – and if I hold my branches across you, they don’t even see you down there.

The sound of the lorry was getting louder and before too long the little fir tree saw the men walking along the park.The back of their lorry was full of trees that have already been chosen.

The little fir tree kept very still and quiet and lean close to his friend. The men’s voices grew louder andsuddenly he felt a big hand on his trunk and heard a shout.

- Here’s a lovely one, Joe ! I almost missed it hiding beneath the branches of this old tree. Just look at this!It’s a beautiful little tree! I think, perhaps I’ll keep this one for myself.Do you mind I dig it up now ?

The little tree shivered and shooked and he felt his roots being lifted from the ground before he had a chance to say goodbye to the old treeand he was lifted into the lorry.

He didn’t remember much of whathappened next.He was too frightened to even think about what was going on. The next thing he knew is that thelorry stopped and he was laiddown in the garden. A little boy and girl come running out to look at him.

They carried him inside. The little fir tree stopped shivering by now and he was very interested in what is happening to him. It was nice to feel his roots in some soft earth again.

-So it was true ! – he thought – it’s all happening just as the black bird said!

He was carried into a large room andput down in the corner. He watched the children coming. They open lots of boxes and took out all sort of excitingthings. They put coloured tinsel around him and lights among his branches and finally a big silver star was placed right on the top of his top branch.

The children clapped their hands and the little fir tree felt quite excited. He stood in the big room. People were coming and said how lovely he looked. And he enjoy watching the children opening their presents and playing with their new toys.

He certainly didn’t feel lonely any more, in fact he was having a wondertful time.

One morning however, the childrencame into the room and started removing all the decorations. Even his beautiful silver star was taken off and put back into the box.

-Oh, dear ! I suppose this is the end. – he said sadly. – I’ve enjoyed myself so much!

-But I expect I’d be thrown outside nowand left to die.

He gave a big sigh…

But things didn’t turn out quite as he expected.He was taken outside but

instead of being thrown away, the children dig a big hole in the earth and planted it in the garden.

-There ! – they said – he can stay here for the rest of the year and we can dig him up again and bring him indoors every Christmas from now on!

The little fir tree could hardly believe it. -I’m not going to die after all ! – he thought happily. -I can live here in the garden and make friends with all the

animals and birds !

-And I’ll be taken indoors again each Christmas and have my lovely decorations put on again ! -I shall never be lonely again ! What a lucky little fir tree I am !

He shivered his roots around in soft earth until he was comfortable and went fast asleep.

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Amadora, 16 de Dezembro de 2009