saidtheoak;"whataterriblyshortlife!"andso,oneverysummerdaythedancewasrepeated,thesamequestionsasked,andthesameanswersgiven.thesamethingwascontinuedthroughmanygenerationsofephemera;allofthemfeltequallymerryandequallyhappy.

theoakremainedawakethroughthemorningofspring,thenoonofsummer,andtheeveningofautumn;itstimeofrest,itsnightdrewnigh-winterwascoming.alreadythestormsweresinging,"good-night,good-night."herefellaleafandtherefellaleaf."wewillrockyouandlullyou.gotosleep,gotosleep.wewillsingyoutosleep,andshakeyoutosleep,anditwilldoyouroldtwigsgood;theywillevencracklewithpleasure.sleepsweetly,sleepsweetly,itisyourthree-hundred-and-sixty-fifthnight.correctlyspeaking,youarebutayoungsterintheworld.sleepsweetly,thecloudswilldropsnowuponyou,whichwillbequiteacover-lid,warmandshelteringtoyourfeet.sweetsleeptoyou,andpleasantdreams."andtherestoodtheoak,strippedofallitsleaves,lefttorestduringthewholeofalongwinter,andtodreammanydreamsofeventsthathadhappenedinitslife,asinthedreamsofmen.thegreattreehadoncebeensmall;indeed,initscradleithadbeenanacorn.accordingtohumancomputation,itwasnowinthefourthcenturyofitsexistence.itwasthelargestandbesttreeintheforest.itssummittoweredabovealltheothertrees,andcouldbeseenfaroutatsea,sothatitservedasalandmarktothesailors.ithadnoideahowmanyeyeslookedeagerlyforit.initstopmostbranchesthewood-pigeonbuilthernest,andthecuckoocarriedouthisusualvocalperformances,andhiswell-knownnotesechoedamidtheboughs;andinautumn,whentheleaveslookedlikebeatencopperplates,thebirdsofpassagewouldcomeandrestuponthebranchesbeforetakingtheirflightacrossthesea.butnowitwaswinter,thetreestoodleafless,sothateveryonecouldseehowcrookedandbentwerethebranchesthatsprangforthfromthetrunk.crowsandrookscamebyturnsandsatonthem,andtalkedofthehardtimeswhichwerebeginning,andhowdifficultitwasinwintertoobtainfood.

itwasjustaboutholychristmastimethatthetreedreamedadream.thetreehad,doubtless,akindoffeelingthatthefestivetimehadarrived,andinhisdreamfanciedheheardthebellsringingfromallthechurchesround,andyetitseemedtohimtobeabeautifulsummer'sday,mildandwarm.hismightysummitswascrownedwithspreadingfreshgreenfoliage;thesunbeamsplayedamongtheleavesandbranches,andtheairwasfulloffragrancefromherbandblossom;paintedbutterflieschasedeachother;thesummerfliesdancedaroundhim,asiftheworldhadbeencreatedmerelyforthemtodanceandbemerryin.allthathadhappenedtothetreeduringeveryyearofhislifeseemedtopassbeforehim,asinafestiveprocession.hesawtheknightsofoldentimesandnobleladiesridebythroughthewoodontheirgallantsteeds,withplumeswavingintheirhats,andfalconsontheirwrists.thehuntinghornsounded,andthedogsbarked.hesawhostilewarriors,incoloreddressesandglitteringarmor,withspearandhalberd,pitchingtheirtents,andanonstrikingthem.thewatchfiresagainblazed,andmensangandsleptunderthehospitableshelterofthetree.hesawloversmeetinquiethappinessnearhiminthemoonshine,andcarvetheinitialsoftheirnamesinthegrayish-greenbarkonhis,butlongyearshadintervenedsincethen,guitarsandeolianharpshadbeenhungonhisboughsbymerrytravellers;nowtheyseemedtohangthereagain,andhecouldheartheirmarvelloustones.thewood-pigeonscooedasiftoexplainthefeelingsofthetree,andthecuckoocalledouttotellhimhowmanysummerdayshehadyettolive.thenitseemedasifnewlifewasthrillingthrougheveryfibreofrootandstemandleaf,risingeventothehighestbranches.thetreefeltitselfstretchingandspreadingout,whilethroughtherootbeneaththeearthranthewarmvigoroflife.ashegrewhigherandstillhigher,withincreasedstrength,histopmostboughsbecamebroaderandfuller;andinproportiontohisgrowth,sowashisself-satisfactionincreased,andwithitaroseajoyouslongingtogrowhigherandhigher,toreacheventothewarm,brightsunitself.alreadyhadhistopmostbranchespiercedtheclouds,whichfloatedbeneaththemliketroopsofbirdsofpassage,orlargewhiteswans;everyleafseemedgiftedwithsight,asifitpossessedeyestosee.thestarsbecamevisibleinbroaddaylight,largeandsparkling,likeclearandgentleeyes.theyrecalledtothememorythewell-knownlookintheeyesofachild,orintheeyesofloverswhohadoncemetbeneaththebranchesoftheoldoak.thesewerewonderfulandhappymomentsfortheoldtree,fullofpeaceandjoy;andyet,amidstallthishappiness,thetreefeltayearning,longingdesirethatalltheothertrees,bushes,herbs,andflowersbeneathhim,mightbeablealsotorisehigher,ashehaddone,andtoseeallthissplendor,andexperiencethesamehappiness.thegrand,majesticoakcouldnotbequitehappyinthemidstofhisenjoyment,whilealltherest,bothgreatandsmall,werenotwithhim.andthisfeelingofyearningtrembledthrougheverybranch,througheveryleaf,aswarmlyandferventlyasiftheyhadbeenthefibresofahumanheart.thesummitofthetreewavedtoandfro,andbentdownwardsasifinhissilentlonginghesoughtforsomething.thentherecametohimthefragranceofthyme,followedbythemorepowerfulscentofhoneysuckleandviolets;andhefanciedheheardthenoteofthecuckoo.atlengthhislongingwassatisfied.upthroughthecloudscamethegreensummitsoftheforesttrees,andbeneathhim,theoaksawthemrising,andgrowinghigherandhigher.bushandherbshotupward,andsomeeventorethemselvesupbytherootstorisemorequickly.thebirch-treewasthequickestofall.likealightningflashtheslenderstemshotupwardsinazigzagline,thebranchesspreadingarounditlikegreengauzeandbanners.everynativeofthewood,eventothebrownandfeatheryrushes,grewwiththerest,whilethebirdsascendedwiththemelodyofsong.onabladeofgrass,thatflutteredintheairlikealong,greenribbon,satagrasshopper,cleaninghiswingswithhislegs.maybeetleshummed,thebeesmurmured,thebirdssang,eachinhisownway;theairwasfilledwiththesoundsofsongandgladness."

"butwhereisthelittleblueflowerthatgrowsbythewater?"