linden.

And as their faces disappeared behind the green foliage, each cried
unto the other, "Farewell, dearest love!" and again, "Dearest love,
farewell!" And their human forms were changed to trees and branches.

And still, if you visit the spot, you may see an oak and a linden tree
with branches intertwined.

THE UNFRUITFUL TREE

BY FRIEDRICH ADOLPH KRUMMACHER

A farmer had a brother in town who was a gardener, and who possessed a
magnificent orchard full of the finest fruit trees, so that his skill
and his beautiful trees were famous everywhere.

One day the farmer went into town to visit his brother, and was
astonished at the rows of trees that grew slender and smooth as wax
tapers.

"Look, my brother," said the gardener; "I will give you an apple tree,
the best from my garden, and you, and your children, and your children's
children shall enjoy it."

Then the gardener called his workmen and ordered them to take up the
tree and carry it to his brother's farm. They did so, and the next
morning the farmer began to wonder where he should plant it.

"If I plant it on the hill," said he to himself, "the wind might catch
it and shake down the delicious fruit before it is ripe; if I plant it
close to the road, passers-by will see it and rob me of its luscious
apples; but if I plant it too near the door of my house, my servants or
the children may pick the fruit."

So, after he had thought the matter over, he planted the tree behind his
barn, saying to himself: "Prying thieves will not think to look for it
here."

But behold, the tree bore neither fruit nor blossoms the first year
nor the second; then the farmer sent for his brother the gardener, and
reproached him angrily, saying:--

"You have deceived me, and given me a barren tree instead of a fruitful
one. For, behold, this is the third year and still it brings forth
nothing but leaves!"

The gardener, when he saw where the tree was planted, laughed and
said:--

"You have planted the tree where it is exposed to cold winds, and has
neither sun nor warmth. How, then, could you expect flowers and fruit?
You have planted the tree with a greedy and suspicious heart; how, then,
could you expect to reap a rich and generous harvest?"

THE DRYAD OF THE OLD OAK

BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL (ADAPTED)

In olden times there was a youth named Rhoecus. One day as he wandered
through the wood he saw an ancient oak tree, trembling and about to
fall. Full