self. "Well, that's no harm; perhaps the flower has some wonderful properties, and at all events it will look pretty on the top of the tree." So she bade the boys take care not to disturb it.

And how did the Fir-tree feel when the boys began to dig him up by the roots? Well, at first he felt very much like he did when the snow had covered him up, and clasped him round, and began to gasp and shiver and even to cry out, only nobody heard him. Poor Little Fir, he even lost faith in his own brilliant destiny, but only for a moment.

"Well," said he to himself; "this is very painful; but there's no doubt it's all for the best, at least I have always found it happen so. It's the law that governs the world, so I'll not begin to disbelieve it now. Besides, my Snow Flower is more brilliant than ever, and as long as I bear it about with me I can't help thinking that I am destined to be a king and wear a crown. 'The world comes round to those who will but wait.'

"What was that?" exclaimed Hermione as the last root was loosened, and the Little Fir-tree was carefully hoisted into the cart beside Nurse Dinah.

G

"I thought I heard a whisper of words go through the wood-such strange, sweet words they were, too."

"It was only the wind in the trees," said the oldest and bravest of the boys; but the others began to look rather pale, so Hermione said no more, but she remembered the words, and thought of them while the cart containing the Fir tree and Nurse

The

Dinah was being driven out of Dark Dell. boys got into great spirits as soon as they had left the wood behind them, while as for the Fir-tree and Nurse Dinah, it would be hard to say which was the proudest.

"Where is he going?" said the other trees in Dark Dell, as they watched their despised companion being carried away in triumph; "is he going to be made a king after all?"

"He will never be king of these woods," said some of the trees disdainfully; "so it doesn't matter."

But for all that they felt rather uncomfortable, for they could not get over the idea that the Little Fir-tree was going to be made a king of.

"We should have paid more attention to him when he was with us," said they; "but who could have imagined that such a mean, deformed, stunted creature could ever become a king?"

But you see they had not paid sufficient heed to the Snow Flower, and the Fir-tree's motto, or they might have thought differently. It is the way of the world. The Fir-tree was brought into a warm room in Hermione's home, which was quite the finest house in Cornertown, and there left in a

corner to recover himself, while the boys dispersed, and Nurse Dinah and Hermione sat down beside a table which was strewn with bright-coloured flags, ornaments, and spangles. It all seemed very strange to the Fir-tree after the whispering wood at the other side of the hill, and he might even have felt a little melancholy if it had not been for the presence of Hermione, and the sight of the Snow Flower on his branches.

"How it shines in the firelight," said he to himself; "just like precious jewels, or the light in her eyes. Any other snow-flake would have melted long ago; it is wonderful truly."

And it certainly was wonderful, for the Fir-tree seemed now to be endowed with still greater powers than he had in Dark Dell, He not only was more convinced than ever of the happiness that was in store for him, but he seemed to see a great many more things than he did before. Perhaps it was in his mind's eye he saw them; but whatever it was it was no doubt owing to the Snow Flower that he saw so vividly the forest-home he had left, the birds hopping on the bare branches, and heard the tall trees whisper to each other their conjectures as to

what honours could possibly be in store for the Little Fir-tree. Nay, he even saw Dark Dell in its summer dress with patches of sunlight flecking the open glades, and a low murmur of happy insects making music in the summer noonday; and this was clear enchantment, for it was Christmas-time in Dark Dell, as well as everywhere else.

"That's how it will be when I'm a king," said the Fir-tree; "I shall never forget it, though I should come to live in a palace, for it was there the Snow Flower came to me, and there I first learnt those words which have been the music of my life."

Then the Fir-tree looked at Hermione and Nurse Dinah, and he saw a great deal there, too. He saw what everybody saw, that Hermione was very beautiful, and that the light in her eyes seemed to make everything fair and good that they looked upon; but he also saw what everybody did not see, that there was a great deal of likeness between her and the stumpy little old woman beside her. And the Fir-tree grew quite mystical on the subject, and made himself drowsy with speculating what it was that he saw in the eyes of both. Altogether, he felt quite happy at being