The Fir Tree - as read by David Tennant
In a forest, a small fir tree is not happy being pretty – it wants to be taller, tall enough that hares are not able to jump over it. It feels no pleasure in sunshine and birdsong, only yearning to be taller.
When woodcutters cut down the taller trees, the fir tree wonders where the trunks are going.
A stork tells him are to be made into masts onto boats and sail over the sea. The fir tree now yearns for that. The sun and wind encourage the tree to be happy with life as it is but it takes no notice.
When Christmas comes, smaller trees are taken away by woodcutters. Sparrows tell the fir that they are decorated and placed in houses. The fir now yearns for this to happen to him – even more than he wants to cross the sea as part of a boat.
The following Christmas, the tree is cut down. It feels sad to be leaving the forest, but thinks a better life is waiting. The tree is placed in the centre of a nicely furnished room, is decorated by children and topped with a star. Candles are lit, carols are sung and the tree is very happy; but this does not last.
It is soon stripped, taken down and placed in an attic. It feels sad and alone for a while, but makes friends with mice and rats, who ask about life in the forest. This makes the tree realise how it had actually been happy there.
After a while, the tree is hauled outside. It is happy to see the sun and thinks it is to be replanted, but soon realises it is withered and old. It is thrown in a far corner of the garden, where one of the children removes the Christmas star which had been left on it. Soon it is chopped up and burned.
BBC - School Radio - Tales of Hans Christian Andersen - 8: The Fir Tree
.
.
.
When Christmas comes, smaller trees are taken away by woodcutters. Sparrows tell the fir that they are decorated and placed in houses. The fir now yearns for this to happen to him – even more than he wants to cross the sea as part of a boat.
The following Christmas, the tree is cut down. It feels sad to be leaving the forest, but thinks a better life is waiting. The tree is placed in the centre of a nicely furnished room, is decorated by children and topped with a star. Candles are lit, carols are sung and the tree is very happy; but this does not last.
It is soon stripped, taken down and placed in an attic. It feels sad and alone for a while, but makes friends with mice and rats, who ask about life in the forest. This makes the tree realise how it had actually been happy there.
After a while, the tree is hauled outside. It is happy to see the sun and thinks it is to be replanted, but soon realises it is withered and old. It is thrown in a far corner of the garden, where one of the children removes the Christmas star which had been left on it. Soon it is chopped up and burned.
BBC - School Radio - Tales of Hans Christian Andersen - 8: The Fir Tree
.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment