of the Little Fir Tree, and forthwith wove them into what I supposed to be something of a reproduction of the original.  The latter part of the story had wholly faded from my memory, so that I “made up” to suit the tastes of my audience.  Afterward I told the story to a good many children, at one time or another, and it gradually took the shape it has here.  It was not until several years later that, in re-reading Andersen for other purposes, I came upon the real story of the Little Fir Tree, and read it for myself.  Then indeed I was amused, and somewhat distressed, to find how far I had wandered from the text.

I give this explanation that the reader may know I do not presume to offer the little tale which follows as an “adaptation” of Andersen’s famous story.  I offer it plainly as a story which children have liked, and which grew out of my early memories of Andersen’s “The Little Fir Tree"].

Once there was a Little Fir Tree, slim and pointed, and shiny, which stood in the great forest in the midst of some big fir trees, broad, and tall, and shadowy green.  The Little Fir Tree was very unhappy because he was not big like the others.  When the birds came flying into the woods and lit on the branches of the big trees and built their nests there, he used to call up to them,—­

“Come down, come down, rest in my branches!” But they always said,—­ “Oh, no, no; you are too little!”

And when the splendid wind came blowing and singing through the forest, it bent and rocked and swung the tops of the big trees, and murmured to them.  Then the Little Fir Tree looked up, and called,—­

“Oh, please, dear wind, come down and play with me!” But he always said,—­

“Oh, no; you are too little, you are too little!”

And in the winter the white snow fell softly, softly, and covered the great trees all over with wonderful caps and coats of white.  The Little Fir Tree, close down in the cover of the others, would call up,—­

“Oh, please, dear snow, give me a cap, too!  I want to play, too!” But the snow always said,—­

“Oh no, no, no; you are too little, you are too little!”

The worst of all was when men came into the wood, with sledges and teams of horses.  They came to cut the big trees down and carry them away.  And when one had been cut down and carried away the others talked about it, and nodded their heads.  And the Little Fir Tree listened, and heard them say that when you were carried away so, you might become the mast of a mighty ship, and go far away over the ocean, and see many wonderful things; or you might be part of a fine house in a great city, and see much of life.  The Little Fir Tree wanted greatly to see life, but he was always too little; the men passed him by.

But by and by, one cold winter’s morning, men came with a sledge and horses, and after they had cut here and there they came to the circle of trees round the Little Fir Tree, and looked all about.