1) A little fir tree grows lonely in the forest until one winter day it begins to snow, filling the tree with joy and wonder. 2) Men soon arrive to cut down trees, and despite trying to hide, the little fir tree is chosen and taken to a family's home. 3) The fir tree loves being decorated for Christmas and bringing joy to the children, though is sad when it is undecorated, but is happily planted in the garden to remain there every year.

1. THE LITTLE FIR TREE STORY

4. The tree standing next to him was the oldest tree in the whole forest and although he could be rather grumpy at times, now and again he would talk to the little fir tree and tell him stories of long ago when the forest was new .

5. This particularly day he didn’t want to talk much and the little fir tree was feeling even more lonely than usually. He sighed and looked around him: - Oh! I wished it would snow !

8. had a glimpse of a lorry at the distance and at the same time a tiny sparrow flew over the head. -The men are coming! The men are coming!– then he flew quickly away.The little fir tree looked around.

11. I’m not too sure. When they get the trees inside, they have lights and all sort of coloured things on their branches. Then a couple of weeks later they take them all off again and throw the trees outside to die. An old black bird told me the story. He lived in a town and had seen it happen, so I know it’s true.

12. -Oh! My goodness! What a fearful thing to do! I don’t want to go and I don’t you to go either ! -Oh! There’s no chance of them choosing me I’m much too big and old – the old tree reply – and if I hold my branches across you, they don’t even see you down there.

13. The sound of the lorry was getting louder and before too long the little fir tree saw the men walking along the park.The back of their lorry was full of trees that have already been chosen.

14. The little fir tree kept very still and quiet and lean close to his friend. The men’s voices grew louder and suddenly he felt a big hand on his trunk and heard a shout.

15. - Here’s a lovely one, Joe ! I almost missed it hiding beneath the branches of this old tree. Just look at this! It’s a beautiful little tree! I think, perhaps I’ll keep this one for myself. Do you mind I dig it up now ?

16. The little tree shivered and shooked and he felt his roots being lifted from the ground before he had a chance to say goodbye to the old treeand he was lifted into the lorry.

17. He didn’t remember much of what happened next.He was too frightened to even think about what was going on. The next thing he knew is that the lorry stopped and he was laid down in the garden. A little boy and girl come running out to look at him.

19. He was carried into a large room and put down in the corner. He watched the children coming. They open lots of boxes and took out all sort of exciting things. They put coloured tinsel around him and lights among his branches and finally a big silver star was placed right on the top of his top branch.

20. The children clapped their hands and the little fir tree felt quite excited. He stood in the big room. People were coming and said how lovely he looked. And he enjoy watching the children opening their presents and playing with their new toys.

21. He certainly didn’t feel lonely any more, in fact he was having a wondertful time. One morning however, the children came into the room and started removing all the decorations. Even his beautiful silver star was taken off and put back into the box.

23. But things didn’t turn out quite as he expected. He was taken outside but instead of being thrown away, the children dig a big hole in the earth and planted it in the garden.

24. - There ! – they said – he can stay here for the rest of the year and we can dig him up again and bring him indoors every Christmas from now on!

25. The little fir tree could hardly believe it. -I’m not going to die after all ! – he thought happily. -I can live here in the garden and make friends with all the animals and birds !

27. A Biblioteca Escolar/ Centro de Recursos deseja a todos Amadora, 16 de Dezembro de 2009