Show the little fir tree by henry hording harding HERE was very little sunlight T in the forest the trees were so big all the grown up trees the little fir tree stretched himself and tried to imagine himself as full grown looking up at the sky and the stars and the moon lie he listened to the big trees talk the moon bright tonight one would say and there would be a gentle rustling of their leaves as the trees would shake their heads in agreement im afraid youre going to be stunted because there is so much shale here a little squirrel said to the fir one day as he jumped into Us its branches and brushed the top limbs with his bushy tail it takes sunlight to make anything grow strong and tall tail so the little fir tree stretched himself up and kept his head pointed up toward the spot of sunlight he saw clear up through the maze of heavy tree growth he could be straight and upstanding even if he grown tall today the ground was all covered with the snow which stayed white in the forest all but a few birds had gone south every once in a while there was the sound of steel striking against wood and infrequently a crashing sound of falling trees the tall trees began to tremble the woodcutters are out but this is a funny time of year one muri I 1 1 never saw a more beautiful tree he said it seems to glow aured to the others then one of the little snow birds spoke have you forgotten that every year they come to out cut christmas trees 64 what are christmas trees the attle tte fir asked A oh they cut down the trees and ta take ke them in the house and put candles on them so they look like stars and spangles that look like snow shining in the moonlight and the people sing songs and give each other gifts and it is a time of b being eing glad the little snow bird twittered oh I 1 wish they would take me the little tree cried in excitement id love to see it all id love to make people happy but im too little and he sighed unhappily sh lets all be quiet one of the tall trees exclaimed the woodsmen woodsman woods men are coming near us we must be quiet so they wont notice us then we wont be cut down and left to die but in spite of their silence the men drew near they looked at the trees and one of them said oh dh these are all too tall tail no house or church could hold them lets get on just then a little lad who was riding in the sled called to his father dad can we find a little tree for sister we find a cute little tree to put in her very own room ho ho laughed a big rough man in her own room no little girl will stay in her room on christmas dayl the lads father answered sadly yes my little girl will she had infantile paralysis last summer and been able to walk since surely son well find a little tree for her here I 1 am here I 1 am come and get me the little fir tree called out lustily and the little boy turned and saw the branches trembling and the little snow bird flying away why dad there is a cute little tree over there such a beautiful straight tree that do he called the man got out from the sled he walked to the tree and fondled it gently 1 I never saw a more beautiful tree it seems to glow molly will love it he said with a smile the little tree was so happy that he feel the blows from the ax that cut him to the ground and when they put him into the sled he was stul still happy the little boy called to his father it sounds as if the little tree was singing when the wind blows through its branches and the little tree laughed delightedly C service i |