Then the children danced about with their pretty toys, and no one
noticed the tree, except the children's maid, who came and peeped
among the branches to see if an apple or a fig had been forgotten.
"A story, a story," cried the children, pulling a little fat man
toward the tree.
"Now we shall be in green shade," said the man, as he seated himself
under it, "and the tree will have the pleasure of hearing also; but I
shall only relate one story. What shall it be? Ivede-Avede, or
Humpty-Dumpty, who fell down stairs, but soon got up again, and at
last married a princess?"
"Ivede-Avede," cried some. "Humpty-Dumpty," cried others; and there
was a famous uproar. But the fir tree remained quite still, and
thought to himself, "Shall I have anything to do with all this? Ought
I to make a noise too?" but he had already amused them as much as they
wished.
Then the old man told them the story of Humpty-Dumpty;--how he fell
downstairs and was raised up again, and married a princess. And the
children clapped their hands and cried "Tell another, tell another,"
for they wanted to hear the story of Ivede-Avede; but this time they
had only Humpty-Dumpty. After this the fir tree became quite silent
and thoughtful. Never had the birds in the forest told such tales as
Humpty-Dumpty who fell down stairs, and yet married a princess.
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