But then they were laid upon wagons, and horses
dragged them away out of the wood. Where were they going? What destiny
awaited them?
In the spring, when the Swallows and the Stork came, the Tree asked
them, "Do you know where they were taken? Did you not meet them?"
The Swallows knew nothing about it, but the Stork looked thoughtful,
nodded his head, and said:
"Yes, I think so. I met many new ships when I flew out of Egypt; on
the ships were stately masts; I fancy these were the trees. They smelt
like fir. I can assure you they're stately--very stately."
"Oh that I were only big enough to go over the sea! What kind of thing
is this sea, and how does it look?"
"It would take too long to explain all that," said the Stork, and he
went away.
"Rejoice in thy youth," said the Sunbeams; "rejoice in thy fresh
growth, and in the young life that is within thee."
And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears upon it; but the
Fir Tree did not understand that.
When Christmas-time approached, quite young trees were felled,
sometimes trees which were neither so old nor so large as this Fir
Tree, that never rested, but always wanted to go away. These young
trees, which were always the most beautiful, kept all their branches;
they were put upon wagons, and horses dragged them away out of the
wood.
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