"The Fir Tree" by Hans Christian Andersen, published originally in 1845, follows the life of a young fir tree living in the woods. Compared to the other trees around him, he feels small, spindly and short, and he constantly utters complaint to any and all woodland creatures within ear shot. Most pointedly, he wonders "when will he truly be alive?"
When he sees humans cut down some beautiful trees nearby and then drag them across the snow, he asks the swallows, "Where are they going?" In answer they tell him of all Christmas's splendor and beauty of which those lucky trees will soon be a part. Yet when the time comes for our little fir tree to have his turn, he's taught an unexpected and irreversible lesson. The beautiful illustrations will captivate a reader's imagination and bring them back again and again.
Denmark
