FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　LAST　DREAM　OF　THE　OLD　OAK
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  IN　the　forest；　high　up　on　the　steep　shore；　and　not　far　from　the
  open　seacoast；　stood　a　very　old　oak…tree。　It　was　just　three　hundred
  and　sixty…five　years　old；　but　that　long　time　was　to　the　tree　as　the
  same　number　of　days　might　be　to　us；　we　wake　by　day　and　sleep　by　night；
  and　then　we　have　our　dreams。　It　is　different　with　the　tree；　it　is
  obliged　to　keep　awake　through　three　seasons　of　the　year；　and　does
  not　get　any　sleep　till　winter　comes。　Winter　is　its　time　for　rest；
  its　night　after　the　long　day　of　spring；　summer；　and　autumn。　On　many
  a　warm　summer；　the　Ephemera；　the　flies　that　exist　for　only　a　day；
  had　fluttered　about　the　old　oak；　enjoyed　life　and　felt　happy　and　if；
  for　a　moment；　one　of　the　tiny　creatures　rested　on　one　of　his　large
  fresh　leaves；　the　tree　would　always　say；　〃Poor　little　creature！　your
  whole　life　consists　only　of　a　single　day。　How　very　short。　It　must　be
  quite　melancholy。〃
  〃Melancholy！　what　do　you　mean？〃　the　little　creature　would　always
  reply。　〃Everything　around　me　is　so　wonderfully　bright　and　warm；　and
  beautiful；　that　it　makes　me　joyous。〃
  〃But　only　for　one　day；　and　then　it　is　all　over。〃
  〃Over！〃　repeated　the　fly；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of　all　over？　Are
  you　all　over　too？〃
  〃No；　I　shall　very　likely　live　for　thousands　of　your　days；　and　my
  day　is　whole　seasons　long；　indeed　it　is　so　long　that　you　could　never
  reckon　it　out。〃
  〃No？　then　I　don't　understand　you。　You　may　have　thousands　of　my
  days；　but　I　have　thousands　of　moments　in　which　I　can　be　merry　and
  happy。　Does　all　the　beauty　of　the　world　cease　when　you　die？〃
  〃No；〃　replied　the　tree；　〃it　will　certainly　last　much　longer；…
  infinitely　longer　than　I　can　even　think　of。　〃Well；　then；〃　said　the
  little　fly；　〃we　have　the　same　time　to　live；　only　we　reckon
  differently。〃　And　the　little　creature　danced　and　floated　in　the　air；
  rejoicing　in　her　delicate　wings　of　gauze　and　velvet；　rejoicing　in
  the　balmy　breezes；　laden　with　the　fragrance　of　clover…fields　and
  wild　roses；　elder…blossoms　and　honeysuckle；　from　the　garden　hedges；
  wild　thyme；　primroses；　and　mint；　and　the　scent　of　all　these　was　so
  strong　that　the　perfume　almost　intoxicated　the　little　fly。　The　long
  and　beautiful　day　had　been　so　full　of　joy　and　sweet　delights；　that
  when　the　sun　sank　low　it　felt　tired　of　all　its　happiness　and
  enjoyment。　Its　wings　could　sustain　it　no　longer；　and　gently　and　slowly
  it　glided　down　upon　the　soft　waving　blades　of　grass；　nodded　its　little
  head　as　well　as　it　could　nod；　and　slept　peacefully　and　sweetly。　The
  fly　was　dead。
  〃Poor　little　Ephemera！〃　said　the　oak；　〃what　a　terribly　short
  life！〃　And　so；　on　every　summer　day　the　dance　was　repeated；　the　same
  questions　asked；　and　the　same　answers　given。　The　same　thing　was
  continued　through　many　generations　of　Ephemera；　all　of　them　felt
  equally　merry　and　equally　happy。
  The　oak　remained　awake　through　the　morning　of　spring；　the　noon
  of　summer；　and　the　evening　of　autumn；　its　time　of　rest；　its　night　drew
  nigh…　winter　was　coming。　Already　the　storms　were　singing；　〃Good…night；
  good…night。〃　Here　fell　a　leaf　and　there　fell　a　leaf。　〃We　will　rock　you
  and　lull　you。　Go　to　sleep；　go　to　sleep。　We　will　sing　you　to　sleep；　and
  shake　you　to　sleep；　and　it　will　do　your　old　twigs　good；　they　will　even
  crackle　with　pleasure。　Sleep　sweetly；　sleep　sweetly；　it　is　your
  three…hundred…and…sixty…fifth　night。　Correctly　speaking；　you　are　but　a
  youngster　in　the　world。　Sleep　sweetly；　the　clouds　will　drop　snow
  upon　you；　which　will　be　quite　a　cover…lid；　warm　and　sheltering　to　your
  feet。　Sweet　sleep　to　you；　and　pleasant　dreams。〃　And　there　stood　the
  oak；　stripped　of　all　its　leaves；　left　to　rest　during　the　whole　of　a
  long　winter；　and　to　dream　many　dreams　of　events　that　had　happened　in
  its　life；　as　in　the　dreams　of　men。　The　great　tree　had　once　been　small；
  indeed；　in　its　cradle　it　had　been　an　acorn。　According　to　human
  computation；　it　was　now　in　the　fourth　century　of　its　existence。　It　was
  the　largest　and　best　tree　in　the　forest。　Its　summit　towered　above
  all　the　other　trees；　and　could　be　seen　far　out　at　sea；　so　that　it
  served　as　a　landmark　to　the　sailors。　It　had　no　idea　how　many　eyes
  looked　eagerly　for　it。　In　its　topmost　branches　the　wood…pigeon　built
  her　nest；　and　the　cuckoo　carried　out　his　usual　vocal　performances；　and
  his　well…known　notes　echoed　amid　the　boughs；　and　in　autumn；　when　the
  leaves　looked　like　beaten　copper　plates；　the　birds　of　passage　would
  come　and　rest　upon　the　branches　before　taking　their　flight　across
  the　sea。　But　now　it　was　winter；　the　tree　stood　leafless；　so　that　every
  one　could　see　how　crooked　and　bent　were　the　branches　that　sprang　forth
  from　the　trunk。　Crows　and　rooks　came　by　turns　and　sat　on　them；　and
  talked　of　the　hard　times　which　were　beginning；　and　how　difficult　it
  was　in　winter　to　obtain　food。
  It　was　just　about　holy　Christmas　time　that　the　tree　dreamed　a
  dream。　The　tree　had；　doubtless；　a　kind　of　feeling　that　the　festive
  time　had　arrived；　and　in　his　dream　fancied　he　heard　the　bells
  ringing　from　all　the　churches　round；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　him　to　be
  a　beautiful　summer's　day；　mild　and　warm。　His　mighty　summits　was
  crowned　with　spreading　fresh　green　foliage；　the　sunbeams　played
  among　the　leaves　and　branches；　and　the　air　was　full　of　fragrance
  from　herb　and　blossom；　painted　butterflies　chased　each　other；　the
  summer　flies　danced　around　him；　as　if　the　world　had　been　created
  merely　for　them　to　dance　and　be　merry　in。　All　that　had　happened　to　the
  tree　during　every　year　of　his　life　seemed　to　pass　before　him；　as　in
  a　festive　procession。　He　saw　the　knights　of　olden　times　and　noble
  ladies　ride　by　through　the　wood　on　their　gallant　steeds；　with　plumes
  waving　in　their　hats；　and　falcons　on　their　wrists。　The　hunting　horn
  sounded；　and　the　dogs　barked。　He　saw　hostile　warriors；　in　colored
  dresses　and　glittering　armor；　with　spear　and　halberd；　pitching　their
  tents；　and　anon　striking　them。　The　watchfires　again　blazed；　and　men
  sang　and　slept　under　the　hospitable　shelter　of　the　tree。　He　saw　lovers
  meet　in　quiet　happiness　near　him　in　the　moonshine；　and　carve　the
  initials　of　their　names　in　the　grayish…green　bark　on　his　trunk。
  Once；　but　long　years　had　intervened　since　then；　guitars　and　Eolian
  harps　had　been　hung　on　his　boughs　by　merry　travellers；　now　they　seemed
  to　hang　there　again；　and　he　could　hear　their　marvellous　tones。　The
  wood…pigeons　cooed　as　if　to　explain　the　feelings　of　the　tree；　and
  the　cuckoo　called　out　to　tell　him　how　many　summer　days　he　had　yet　to
  live。　Then　it　seemed　as　if　new　life　was　thrilling　through　every
  fibre　of　root　and　stem　and　leaf；　rising　even　to　the　highest
  branches。　The　tree　felt　itself　stretching　and　spreading　out；　while
  through　the　root　beneath　the　earth　ran　the　warm　vigor　of　life。　As　he
  grew　higher　and　still　higher；　with　increased　strength；　his　topmost
  boughs　became　broader　and　fuller；　and　in　proportion　to　his　growth；
  so　was　his　self…satisfaction　increased；　and　with　it　arose　a　joyous
  longing　to　grow　higher　and　higher；　to　reach　even　to　the　warm；　bright
  sun　itself。　Already　had　his　topmost　branches　pierced　the　clouds；　which
  floated　beneath　them　like　troops　of　birds　of　passage；　or　large　white
  swans；　every　leaf　seemed　gifted　with　sight；　as　if　it　possessed　eyes　to
  see。　The　stars　became　visible　in　broad　daylight；　large　and
  sparkling；　like　clear　and　gentle　eyes。　They　recalled　to　the　memory　the
  well…known　look　in　the　eyes　of　a　child；　or　in　the　eyes　of　lovers　who
  had　once　met　beneath　the　branches　of　the　old　oak。　These　were　wonderful
  and　happy　moments　for　the　old　tree；　full　of　peace　and　joy；　and　yet；
  amidst　all　this　happiness；　the　tree　felt　a　yearning；　longing　desire
  that　all　the　other　trees；　bushes；　herbs；　and　flowers　beneath　him；
  might　be　able　also　to　rise　higher；　as　he　had　done；　and　to　see　all　this
  splendor；　and　experience　the　same　happiness。　The　grand；　majestic　oak
  could　not　be　quite　happy　in　the　midst　of　his　enjoyment；　while　all
  the　rest；　both　great　and　small；　were　not　with　him。　And　this　feeling　of
  yearning　trembled　through　every　branch；　through　every　leaf；　as
  warmly　and　fervently　as　if　they　had　been　the　fibres　of　a　human
  heart。　The　summit　of　the　tree　waved　to　and　fro；　and　bent　downwards
  as　if　in　his　silent　longing　he　sought　for　something。　Then　there　came
  to　him　the　fragrance　of　thyme；　followed　by　the　more　powerful　scent
  of　honeysuckle　and　violets；　and　he　fancied　he　heard　the　note　of　the
  cuckoo。　At　length　his　longing　was　satisfied。　Up　through　the　clouds
  came　the　green　summits　of　the　forest　trees；　and　beneath　him；　the　oak
  saw　them　rising；　and　growing　higher　and　higher。　Bush　and　herb　shot
  upward；　and　some　even　tore　themselves　up　by　the　roots　to　rise　more
  quickly。　The　birch…tree　was　the　quickest　of　all。　Like　a　lightning
  flash　the　slender　stem　shot　upwards　in　a　zigzag　line；　the　branches
  spreading　around　it　like　green　gauze　and　banners。　Every　native　of
  the　wood；　even　to　the　brown　and　feathery　rushes；　grew　with　the　rest；
  while　the　bird