Green stood the Tree,

With its leaves tender bright. "Shall I take them?" said Frost, As he breathed thro' the night. "Oh! pray let them be, Till my blossoms you see!"

Begged the Tree, as she shivered And shook in affright.

Sweet sang the birds

The fair blossoms among.

"Shall I take them?" said Wind, As he swayed them and swung. "Oh! pray let them be,

Till my berries you see!" Begged the Tree, as its branches All quivering hung.

Bright grew the berries

Beneath the sun's heat.

"Shall I take them?" said Lassie

So young and so sweet.

"Ah! take them, I crave!

Take all that I have!"

Begged the Tree, as it bent

Its full boughs to her feet.

ADAPTED.

THE FAIRY TREE

Long, long ago, on an island in the sea, lived a family of seven sisters. The oldest girl ruled the household, and her sisters obeyed her commands. Flora, the youngest sister, was sent to the forest each day, to gather wood for the kitchen fire.

Near the edge of the forest was a cave under some rocks. A stream of water fell over the rocks into a basin in the cave.

This was a delightfully cool spot, and Flora often rested here on her way home after gathering wood in the forest. She would lie on the mossy bank of the stream, for hours, and dream.

One morning as Flora ran along the grassy path that led to the cave, she saw a little fish in the stream. Its scales flashed out all the colors of the rainbow.

"I am going to keep the fish for a pet," "I will call him

said the girl to herself.

Rainbow."

So she caught the pretty fish and put him into the basin in the cave.

The next day Flora went to the forest for wood. She carried some crumbs of bread which she had saved from her breakfast.

On the way home she stopped at the cave. The fish was waiting for her. He came to the edge of the basin, and she fed the crumbs to him.

How delighted the girl was! She had been so lonely, and now she had a playfellow!

Every morning, instead of eating the bread which her sister gave to her, Flora would save it and feed the crumbs to her pet. The fish would leap to catch them.

"Here are some crumbs, Rainbow," she would say. "This is all to-day, but I shall come again to-morrow."

Then she would sing a little song.

Flora began to grow thin, and her sisters wondered what could be the matter.

One day the oldest sister followed her to the cave and saw her feed the crumbs of bread to the fish.

While Flora was away in the forest, the oldest sister caught the fish, carried him home and baked him for supper.

The bones were buried under the kitchen fire.

The next morning, Flora went to the cave as usual, but no fish was there. She sang her little song, and still he did not come.

"Rainbow cannot be dead," she said, "for I do not see him in the water."

Then Flora hastened home. She threw herself upon her bed and was soon fast asleep.