The
Littlest Fir Tree
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Deep
in the middle of the forest, where the trees grew thick and
green and tall, a group of fir trees grew close together.
They grew and grew towards the light, so they grew very straight
and very tall. But one of the trees, although it was green
and sturdy, didn't grow as tall as its brothers and so had
to spend all day looking up to them, and had to just listen
while they talked amongst themselves. |
These
trees knew they were special, and that one day they would
be taken and used for wonderful things. Every day they would
talk about what they would like to become.
"I will
become a telegraph pole," said the very tallest of the trees,
"and I will carry the wires so the people can talk to each
other even though they are miles and miles apart." |
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"I
will be a mast on a great ship, so it can sail all around
the world - I will see places and things you can only dream
of," said another tree.
"They
will use MY timber to build houses for the people to live
in," said another tree, "I will be VERY useful." |
Every
day the fir trees talked about what they would like to become,
and every day the littlest fir tree just listened.
Although
the little tree had sturdy branches with thick green needles
growing all along them, its trunk wasn't quite straight, and
it was so small it knew it would never be made into a telegraph
pole, or a tall ship, or even a house.
The littlest fir tree
was very sad. |
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The
days grew shorter and the nights grew colder, and then it
began to snow.
The trees
began to complain : "What if all this snow breaks my branches?"
wondered one. "What if the weight of the snow bends my nice
straight trunk?" thought the tree who wanted to be a telegraph
pole.
None
of the big trees liked the snow. |
The
littlest fir tree thought the snow was very nice - it made
everything look pretty, and besides, its soft covering was
like a blanket and protected the tiny new buds on the ends
of its branches from the sharp frosts and cold winds. The
littlest fir tree LIKED the snow. |
In
the middle of the winter the snow was very deep and covered
everything with a cold white blanket. There wasn't a sound
to be heard - the birds had all flown off to warmer lands,
and even the trees were quiet.
Suddenly,
in the distance, they heard voices! Even the tallest, oldest
trees began to get excited. "Perhaps they are coming to take
me to be a telegraph pole!" said the tallest tree. "Maybe
now I will go to far-away places as the mast of a ship!" cried
another. The trees started to rustle their branches and talk
amongst themselves. |
Then
they all stopped in surprise. Along the path came two children,
dragging a small wooden sledge behind them. They seemed to
be looking for something.
"Look!"
shouted one of the children, "Here it is! This is the best
tree!" The tall trees were all filled with pride, for each
one thought it was the best tree, and just knew it
was the tree the children were looking at. |
|
Imagine
how surprised they were when both of the children went across
to the LITTLEST tree and stood admiring it. Then they got
out a spade and started to dig. The big trees couldn't understand
it, what did they want with such a little tree? They watched
as the children dug the tree up, loaded it onto their sledge
and dragged it off back along the path. |
The
littlest fir tree lay on the sledge, a little bit frightened
and a little bit excited. Carefully the children dragged the
sledge along the path and out of the forest. They pulled it
across the snow until they came to a little house, then they
lifted the tree off the sledge and carried it inside.
The littlest
fir tree didn't know WHAT to expect, but even so it was very
surprised when the children lifted it gently upright again,
and placed its roots carefully in a pot and covered them with
soil.
It was
even MORE surprised when the children fetched a box of brightly
coloured things and began to hang them on its branches. |
|
They
hung more and more things on the littlest tree and then, just
when it seemed they had finished, the smallest child climbed
on a chair and put a bright sparkly star on the very top of
the tree.
Then
they all jumped around and clapped. "Look at our tree! It's
the BEST Christmas tree in the world!!" they shouted.
The littlest
fir tree was so proud! "I may be the littlest fir tree, but
just look at me now!" |
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Story and illustrations
© Dianne Davies 2001. All rights reserved
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