. "This
evening," they all exclaimed, "how bright it will be!"

"Oh, that the evening were come," thought the tree, "and the tapers
lighted! Then I should know what else is going to happen. Will the
trees of the forest come to see me? Will the sparrows peep in at the
windows, I wonder, as they fly? Shall I grow faster here, and keep on
all these ornaments during summer and winter?" But guessing was of
very little use. His back ached with trying; and this pain is as bad
for a slender fir tree as headache is for us.

At last the tapers were lighted, and then what a glistening blaze of
splendor the tree presented! It trembled so with joy in all its
branches, that one of the candles fell among the green leaves and
burnt some of them. "Help! help!" exclaimed the young ladies; but
there was no danger, for they quickly extinguished the fire.

After this the tree tried not to tremble at all, though the fire
frightened him, he was so anxious not to hurt any of the beautiful
ornaments, even while their brilliancy dazzled him.

And now the folding doors were thrown open, and a troop of children
rushed in as if they intended to upset the tree, and were followed
more slowly by their elders. For a moment the little ones stood silent
with astonishment, and then they shouted for joy till the room rang;
and they danced merrily round the tree, while one present after
another was taken from it.

"What are they doing? What will happen next?" thought the tree. At
last the candles burned down to the branches, and were put out. Then
the children received permission to plunder the tree.

Oh, how they rushed upon it! There was such a riot that the branches
cracked, and had it not been fastened with the glistening star to the
ceiling, it must have been thrown down.

Then the children danced about with their pretty toys, and no one
noticed the tree, except the children's maid, who came and peeped
among the branches to see if an apple or a fig had been forgotten.

"A story, a story," cried the children, pulling a little fat man
toward the tree.

"Now we shall be in green shade," said the man, as he seated himself
under it, "and the tree will have the pleasure of hearing also; but I
shall only relate one story. What shall it be? Ivede-Avede, or
Humpty-Dumpty, who fell down stairs, but soon got up again, and at
last married a princess?"

"Ivede-Avede," cried some. "Humpty-Dumpty," cried others; and there
was a famous uproar. But the fir