Still the plant did not grow.
“Grow! grow!” roared the wind. “Grow tall and straight. I will teach you to obey. Grow! grow!”
Then the wind lashed the tiny plant with its cold wings, and beat its branches to the ground. But the poor thing came near dying and did not grow at all.
“Do grow,” said the sun. “Grow and be beautiful. I will help you.”
Then the sun warmed the earth around the plant, and gentle showers fell on it from the clouds.
Now the little twigs began to grow, and the tiny plant became a beautiful birch tree, with green leaves and snow-white bark.
—Anna von Rydingsvärd.