FALL PLANT STUDY. 423 



A Visit to A Saw-Mill. Another lesson may be devoted 

 to an imaginary trip to the saw-mill, where our pine tree is 

 sawed into boards. 



Step. VI. The Christmas Tree. 



How THE PINE BECAME THE CHRISTMAS TREE. 



" Long, long ago, there were little pine trees in a forest in Ungarn, 

 and they were very unhappy because they had to stay in the stormy 

 winter, while all the flowers went to sleep till spring, and the birds 

 flew away to the sunny south. 



All the little pine trees wept and sighed together till the Wind 

 heard them, and carried their voices down to Judea, where the dear 

 Christ-Child lived. 



When the Wind told Him the trouble of the little trees He was 

 grieved, for He loved to have all things happy ; but 4 The little pine 

 trees must help something else before they can be helped,' said the 

 Christ-Child ; for He knew all things. 



So the Wind carried the words to the little pine trees, and they 

 began to try to help something. When a great frost came, each tree 

 spread out its branches as far as it could reach, and sheltered the 

 grass and ferns from the bitter cold ; and when a great snowstorm 

 came, covering all the ground and trees, the little pine trees called to 

 the poor snowbirds and said, * Come, little birds, we have seeds for 

 you to eat, and our arms shall keep the snow from you. ' 



When the Wind heard this, He flew to Judea again, and told the 

 Christ-Child how the pine trees were helping. 



So, when the Christ-Child heard this, He was glad ; for He loved all 

 things to be good, and He came Himself to the little pine trees and 

 blessed them. 'Dear little pine tree,' He said, touching them with 

 His gentle hand, * You have tried to help others, and you shall have 

 the joy of always making happiness for little children. Every win- 

 ter, when the frost and snow come, you shall have many beautiful 

 things given you to give away to My little ones for My sake, if they 

 have tried throughout the year to be loving and good.' 



Then the little pine trees were glad, for they had learned how 

 blessed a thing it is to give happiness. 



And that was the way says the German legend that the dear 

 Christ-Child gave us Christmas trees. But He does not wish us to 

 think only of the pretty things we get from the tree, and so we may 



