96 FOREST FANCIES 



hope, till far below, on the slope of the moun- 

 tain, a resting place was found; and here, 

 weary from her long way on the wind, the little 

 seed laid her irrideseent wing to rest forever- 

 more, and fell asleep. 



In the very spot where the little seed fell 

 asleep, a tiny red spruce tree awoke with the 

 spring. The sunlight was tempered by the 

 sheltering boughs of an old black spruce, whose 

 plainness was beautified by kindliness as she 

 said, **My daughter, I welcome you to the for- 

 est!'' 



And the little tree looked up and called her 

 '^Mother." 



Lifting her pretty head still higher, the lit- 

 tle spruce tree gazed curiously around her for- 

 est home. *^This must be that world which I 

 have always longed to know," thought she. 

 **IIow green and wonderful it is; I shall stay 

 here content forever." 



Forest neighbors crowded the little stranger 

 on all sides ; and in her heart she felt a kinship 

 with the evergreen trees, large and small. 



**But who are these?" she asked, for there 



