The Fir Tree · page 21 2 3101And the lights burned down to the very branches, and as they burned down they were put out one after the other, and then the children had permission to plunder the Tree.102So they fell upon it with such violence that all its branches cracked; if it had not been fixed firmly in the ground, it would certainly have tumbled down.103The children danced about with their beautiful playthings; no one looked at the Tree except the old nurse, who peeped between the branches; but it was only to see if there was a fig or an apple left that had been forgotten.104“A story!105A story!” cried the children, drawing a little fat man towards the Tree.106He seated himself under it and said, “Now we are in the shade, and the Tree can listen too.107But I shall tell only one story.108Now which will you have; that about Ivedy-Avedy, or about Humpy-Dumpy, who tumbled downstairs, and yet after all came to the throne and married the princess?”109“Ivedy-Avedy,” cried some; “Humpy-Dumpy,” cried the others.110There was such a bawling and screaming--the Fir Tree alone was silent, and he thought to himself, “Am I not to bawl with the rest?111Am I to do nothing whatever?” for he was one of the company, and had done what he had to do.112And the man told about Humpy-Dumpy that tumbled down, who notwithstanding came to the throne, and at last married the princess.113And the children clapped their hands, and cried.114“Oh, go on!115Do go on!”116They wanted to hear about Ivedy-Avedy too, but the little man only told them about Humpy-Dumpy.117The Fir Tree stood quite still and absorbed in thought; the birds in the wood had never related the like of this.118“Humpy-Dumpy fell downstairs, and yet he married the princess!119Yes, yes!120That's the way of the world!” thought the Fir Tree, and believed it all, because the man who told the story was so good-looking.121“Well, well! who knows, perhaps I may fall downstairs, too, and get a princess as wife!”122And he looked forward with joy to the morrow, when he hoped to be decked out again with lights, playthings, fruits, and tinsel.123“I won't tremble to-morrow!” thought the Fir Tree.124“I will enjoy to the full all my splendor!125To-morrow I shall hear again the story of Humpy-Dumpy, and perhaps that of Ivedy-Avedy too.”126And the whole night the Tree stood still and in deep thought.127In the morning the servant and the housemaid came in.128“Now then the splendor will begin again,” thought the Fir.129But they dragged him out of the room, and up the stairs into the loft: and here, in a dark corner, where no daylight could enter, they left him.130“What's the meaning of this?” thought the Tree.131“What am I to do here?checked by a teacher132What shall I hear now, I wonder?”133And he leaned against the wall lost in reverie.134Time enough had he too for his reflections; for days and nights passed on, and nobody came up; and when at last somebody did come, it was only to put some great trunks in a corner, out of the way.135There stood the Tree quite hidden; it seemed as if he had been entirely forgotten.136“'Tis now winter out-of-doors!” thought the Tree.137“The earth is hard and covered with snow; men cannot plant me now, and therefore I have been put up here under shelter till the spring-time comes!138How thoughtful that is!139How kind man is, after all!140If it only were not so dark here, and so terribly lonely!141Not even a hare!142And out in the woods it was so pleasant, when the snow was on the ground, and the hare leaped by; yes--even when he jumped over me; but I did not like it then!143It is really terribly lonely here!”144“Squeak!145Squeak!” said a little Mouse, at the same moment, peeping out of his hole.146And then another little one came.147They snuffed about the Fir Tree, and rustled among the branches.148“It is dreadfully cold,” said the Mouse.149“But for that, it would be delightful here, old Fir, wouldn't it?”150“I am by no means old,” said the Fir Tree.151“There's many a one considerably older than I am.”152“Where do you come from,” asked the Mice; “and what can you do?”153They were so extremely curious.154“Tell us about the most beautiful spot on the earth.155Have you never been there?156Were you never in the larder, where cheeses lie on the shelves, and hams hang from above; where one dances about on tallow candles: that place where one enters lean, and comes out again fat and portly?”157“I know no such place,” said the Tree.158“But I know the wood, where the sun shines and where the little birds sing.”159And then he told all about his youth; and the little Mice had never heard the like before; and they listened and said,160“Well, to be sure!161How much you have seen!162How happy you must have been!”163“I!” said the Fir Tree, thinking over what he had himself related.164“Yes, in reality those were happy times.”165And then he told about Christmas-eve, when he was decked out with cakes and candles.166“Oh,” said the little Mice, “how fortunate you have been, old Fir Tree!”167“I am by no means old,” said he.168“I came from the wood this winter; I am in my prime, and am only rather short for my age.”169“What delightful stories you know,” said the Mice: and the next night they came with four other little Mice, who were to hear what the Tree recounted: and the more he related, the more he remembered himself; and it appeared as if those times had really been happy times.170“But they may still come--they may still come!171Humpy-Dumpy fell downstairs, and yet he got a princess!” and he thought at the moment of a nice little Birch Tree growing out in the woods: to the Fir, that would be a real charming princess.172“Who is Humpy-Dumpy?” asked the Mice.checked by a teacher173So then the Fir Tree told the whole fairy tale, for he could remember every single word of it; and the little Mice jumped for joy up to the very top of the Tree.174Next night two more Mice came, and on Sunday two Rats even; but they said the stories were not interesting, which vexed the little Mice; and they, too, now began to think them not so very amusing either.175“Do you know only one story?” asked the Rats.176“Only that one,” answered the Tree.177“I heard it on my happiest evening; but I did not then know how happy I was.”178“It is a very stupid story!179Don't you know one about bacon and tallow candles?180Can't you tell any larder stories?”181“No,” said the Tree.182“Then good-bye,” said the Rats; and they went home.183At last the little Mice stayed away also; and the Tree sighed: “After all, it was very pleasant when the sleek little Mice sat round me, and listened to what I told them.184Now that too is over.185But I will take good care to enjoy myself when I am brought out again.”186But when was that to be?187Why, one morning there came a quantity of people and set to work in the loft.188The trunks were moved, the tree was pulled out and thrown--rather hard, it is true--down on the floor, but a man drew him towards the stairs, where the daylight shone.189“Now a merry life will begin again,” thought the Tree.190He felt the fresh air, the first sunbeam--and now he was out in the courtyard.191All passed so quickly, there was so much going on around him, the Tree quite forgot to look to himself.192The court adjoined a garden, and all was in flower; the roses hung so fresh and odorous over the balustrade, the lindens were in blossom, the Swallows flew by, and said, “Quirre-vit!193My husband is come!” but it was not the Fir Tree that they meant.194“Now, then, I shall really enjoy life,” said he exultingly, and spread out his branches; but, alas, they were all withered and yellow!195It was in a corner that he lay, among weeds and nettles.196The golden star of tinsel was still on the top of the Tree, and glittered in the sunshine.197In the court-yard some of the merry children were playing who had danced at Christmas round the Fir Tree, and were so glad at the sight of him.198One of the youngest ran and tore off the golden star.199“Only look what is still on the ugly old Christmas tree!” said he, trampling on the branches, so that they all cracked beneath his feet.checked by a teacher200And the Tree beheld all the beauty of the flowers, and the freshness in the garden; he beheld himself, and wished he had remained in his dark corner in the loft; he thought of his first youth in the wood, of the merry Christmas-eve, and of the little Mice who had listened with so much pleasure to the story of Humpy-Dumpy.1 2 3← previousThe Shoes of Fortune, part 5next →The Snow Queen, part 1↑ back to Andersen's Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg1597/10/page/2/