nd the more he told, the more plainly he remembered all
himself; and he thought: "That was a merry time! But it can come! it can
come! Klumpy-Dumpy fell down stairs, and yet he got a princess! Maybe I
can get a princess too!" And all of a sudden he thought of a nice little
Birch Tree growing out in the woods: to the Pine, that would be a really
charming princess.

"Who is Klumpy-Dumpy?" asked the little Mice.

So then the Pine 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. Next night two more Mice came, and on Sunday two
Rats, even; but they said the stories were not amusing, which vexed
the little Mice, because they, too, now began to think them not so very
amusing either.

"Do you know only that one story?" asked the Rats.

"Only that one!" answered the Tree. "I heard it on my happiest evening;
but I did not then know how happy I was."

"It is a very stupid story! Don't you know one about bacon and tallow
candles? Can't you tell any larder-stories?"

"No," said the Tree.

"Thank you, then," said the Rats; and they went home.

At 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
heard what I told them. Now that too is over. But I will take good care
to enjoy myself when I am brought out again."

But when was that to be? Why, it was one morning when there came a
number of people and set to work in the loft. The trunks were moved, the
tree was pulled out and thrown down; they knocked him upon the floor,
but a man drew him at once toward the stairs, where the daylight shone.

V. OUT OF DOORS AGAIN

"Now life begins again," thought the Tree. He felt the fresh air, the
first sunbeam,--and now he was out in the courtyard. All passed so
quickly that the Tree quite forgot to look to himself, there was so much
going on around him. The court adjoined a garden, and all was in flower;
the roses hung over the fence, so fresh and smelling so sweetly;
the lindens were in blossom, the Swallows flew by, and said,
"Quirre-virre-vit! my husband is come!" But it was not the Pine Tree
that they meant.

"Now, I shall really live," said he with joy, and spread out his
branches; dear! dear! they were all dry and yellow. It was in a corner
among weeds and nettles that he lay. The golden star of tinsel was still
on top of the Tree, and shone i