Narration.
THE WOOD-CUTTERS.
In the autumn wood-cutters came to the forest with their shining axes. They set to work to cut down some of the fir tree’s tall neighbors. Chop, chop, chop, how their axes flew! And crash! the great trees fell upon the ground. The wood-cutters chopped off all the branches. How bare and straight the trees looked!
“I wonder what will happen next,” thought the fir tree. It soon found out, for all these bare trunks were piled upon wagons which were drawn out of the forest by horses. “Where can they be going?” thought the fir tree. “How I wish I knew! How I wish I were going, too!”
In the spring, when the swallows and the storks came back, the fir tree told them about the wood-cutters’ visit. “Tell me,” it said, “do you know where those trees were taken?” The swallows said, “We do not know.” But a wise old stork nodded his head and said, “Yes, I think I know. I met some new ships as I flew over the sea. These ships had tall masts that smelt like fir. I think they were the trees you spoke of.”
“What is the sea? What does it look like?” asked the fir tree. “Dear me,” said the stork, “I cannot stop here to tell you. I must go on to my home.” And away he flew.
“Cheer up,” said the happy sunbeams to the fir tree. The gentle south wind kissed it. The dew watered it. But still the fir tree was unhappy.
Suggestions.
Talk about swallows and storks. The return of the birds in spring. The sea. Ships. Where seen by the children. Appearance of masts and sails; their uses. Other uses of tall, strong trees.
III.