THE HAPPIEST, LITTLEST CHRISTMAS
TREE OF ALL.

For the first time in his little
life, Christian Christmastree was
sorry he was so little! He never
used to mind - in fact, it was very
nice having his tall mother and
daddy, and his not-quite-so-tal]
brothers and sisters grouped around
him, sheltering him from the bliz-
zards, and singing to him the lull-
aby of the winter wind. He liked
the way the snow sifted through
their big branches and plopped
gently onto his own. It made him
feel comfortable and warm and sleepy
Winter was the best season of all!
ss or

This morning they had come - the
Big Men from the Big City, with
their big boots and big axes. Chop,
chop, chop. Christian shuddered now
in the cold.

A few weeks ago the older, taller
Christmas trees had described to
him (for he was too short to see
over them) how Happy Town which
nestled in the valley below Happy
Forest, was beginning to glow with
red and green and blue lights.
Daddy Christmastree explained that
this meant that Christmas was near
and soon the fathers of Happy Town
would come tramping into Happy
Forest. Each would cut down a
Christmas tree to grace his front
hall or glisten by the fireplace.
Mother Christmastree told Christian
he must not be sad if they took
some of his brothers and sisters
away, or if he was left an orphan;
for this is what Christmas trees
are for - to go into people's
homes at Christmas time and make
someone happy.

What none of them knew then was
that the Big Men had made a new law
stating that the fathers of Happy
Town could no longer go to Happy
Forest and cut down their own
Christmas trees; rather, they must
journey to the Big City and buy

them.
This morning they had come. Big

men, with big boots and axes. Chop,
chop, chop. There was nothing he
could do about it. Christian watched

his tall father go crashing down. His
not-quite-so-tall brothers and sist-
ers - every one - soon lay ina
trembling heap on top of him. Chop,
chop, chop. Only his mother had

time to whisper a parting word. ''Try
not to be sad, Christian. All will

be well! Merry Christmas!"

How brave they were! And how un-
happy was Christian! I{t was not
until the big truck had rumbled
down Happy Hill and the last green
branch was out of sight, however,
that he let the huge tears fall.

He stopped crying now and look-
ed around him, suddenly cold and
unprotected. Along Happy Creek,
the willows swayed only slightly in
the breeze. Behind him the poplars
huddled, bare and thin-looking
against the gathering dusk. Why, he
was the only Christmas tree that
remained in Happy Forest! He won-
dered if the fathers of Happy Town
would journey to the Big City to
get their Christmas trees. IF oniy
he were bigger, so he could have
gone, too! Even to go to the Big
City and wait to be bought for a
price would be better than standing
here all alone, too small to do any
good! Never before had Christian
been so sorry he was the Littlest
Christmastree!

For two days and two nights he
brooded, watching the red and green
and blue lights of Happy Town flick-
er off and on, off and on. Now, at
least, he could see them for him-
self, for there was no one in the
way. It didn't seem half so excit-
ing now, though, as it had when his
brothers and sisters described it
to him.

On the third day of his loneli-
ness, half frozen, Christian heard
the churchbells ringing out the
story of Christmas and he knew that
Christmas Eve had come. Another ‘uge
tear fell unheeded, forming another
silver icicle on his lower branches.
Carols began to drift up Happy Hilt

- clear, sweet voices on the crisp,
cold air. Christian was just about
to hold his ears when he realized
they were coming closer! The red