The Fir Tree
Fairy Tales in Romanian.
The Little Fir Tree
Deep in a forest lived a little fir tree. It stood in a lovely, open spot. The sun shone brightly and the wind blew gently. Its needles ruffled.
The trees surrounding it were tall and robust. The fir tree didn't like that the others looked down on it. Literally.
— Oh, good morning, little one! Look what a beautiful day! Watch out, the birds are coming! — Agreed, Bob! It's a clear sky. I can see people coming our way. It's picnic day for them. — Oh, what's so beautiful this morning? The birds don't fly around me. I'm so small. I can't even see who's coming our way. I wish I were taller. I'd see the houses and the world outside. — Hey! You'll grow! We all grow. Time stops for no one. It doesn't stop even if you want it to. So enjoy what you have now. You'll never be this small again. — The only thing that sounded good to me is that I'll never be this small again. You don't even know what it's like. — Oh! Do you think we were never small? When we were little, the sun could barely reach us. Do you remember, Bob, how dense the forest was? — Of course! I could barely stretch my little branches! Ah, what beautiful times!
The Wish to Grow
— Ha! What a beautiful day it is today! Look at that little fir tree! — What's that mark? Maybe someone wanted to remember it. — Oh, it doesn't surprise me. It's so small and cute! It's the child of the forest! — See? How they laugh at me because I'm small? — They were harmless. They liked you. — Ah! Ah! — Silly rabbit! See? And that was harmless. It didn't even notice I was here. — Well, if it hadn't noticed you, how would it have jumped over you? — You're making fun of me just because I'm small. — Yes! That's why it's funny. It has nothing to do with how cute you are. — Ah! I don't like it! I don't like it! I don't like it! I don't like it! — Ho ho! Say it again, would you? I don't think I heard you clearly. — Ah, enough, Marley! Stop teasing him! — Listen! Be happy with what you have! Deforestation has taken many of us. — Defor-what? Defor-what? — Deforestation! They pull us out by our roots. It means people take the trees, roots and all, to clear the land. And the land is then transformed for farms and other things. — Sounds sinister. — It is. — So, I need to grow taller before that happens, right? — Oh, that's what he understood from this story? You need to learn to be happy with what you have!
But the little fir tree wanted to grow, to grow, to grow. Spring, summer, and winter.
The Coming of People
The following years were generous to the little fir tree, for it grew one branch and then another. Still, it was sad. It didn't feel free, because it wanted to grow bigger and faster.
— Yes, that's right, rabbit. Come on, get out of here! I'm going to grow taller. — Believe me! You'll miss this one day.
Just then, people arrived to do what they did best. They struck with axes and all the trees fell to the ground. The big, green trees were reduced to stumps.
— Oh, where are they taking you? — Our time hasn't come! — Remember! Be happy with what you have! — But, but what are they going to do to you? Hey!
It felt so sorry. Now that it had started to care, the pain of losing its friends was too much to bear.
The Fir Tree Indoors
Now it was alone. It had no one left to talk to. The sun rose as always, the wind blew as always, and yet, the fir tree was sad.
— Mmm, I wish I had gone with them. Why didn't the people take me? Am I big now? What am I doing all alone in this forest?
Months passed and no sign from its friends. The fir tree grew lonelier with each passing day. And then, one day, a stork appeared.
— The birds told me you're looking for your friends. Perhaps
