The Christ Child did not forget the lovely sight, and long afterward he bade that to celebrate His birthday there should be placed in every house a Fir Tree, which might be lit up with candles to shine for the children as the stars shone for Him on His first birthday.

Was not the Fir Tree richly rewarded for its meekness?  Surely there is no other tree that shines on so many happy faces!

FOOTNOTES: 

[37] From the German of Hedwig Levi.

THE DIAMOND AND THE DEWDROP[38]

A costly Diamond, that had once sparkled in a lady’s ring, lay in a field amid tall grasses and oxeye daisies.

Just above it, was a big Dewdrop that clung timidly to a nodding grass-blade.

Overhead, the blazing sun shone in all his noonday glory.

Ever since the first pink blush of dawn, the modest Dewdrop had gazed fixedly down upon the rich gem, but feared to address a person of such exalted consequence.

At last, a large Beetle, during his rambles, chanced to espy the Diamond, and he also recognised him to be some one of great rank and importance.

“Sire,” he said, making a low bow, “permit your humble servant to offer you greeting.”

“Tha—­nks,” responded the Diamond in languid tones of affectation.

As the Beetle raised his head from his profound bow, his gaze happened to alight upon the Dewdrop.

“A relative of yours, I presume, Sire?” he remarked affably, waving one of his feelers in the direction of the Dewdrop.

The Diamond burst into a rude, contemptuous laugh.

“Quite too absurd, I declare!” he exclaimed loftily.  “But there, what can you expect from a low, grovelling beetle?  Away, sir, pass on!  Your very presence is distasteful to me.  The idea of placing ME upon the same level—­in the same family, as a low-born, mean, insignificant, utterly valueless——­” Here the Diamond fairly choked for breath.

“But has he not beauty exactly like your own, Sire?” the Beetle ventured to interpose, though with a very timid air.

“BEAU—­TY!” flashed the Diamond, with fine disdain—­“the impudent fellow merely apes and imitates ME.  However, it is some small consolation to remember that ‘Imitation is the sincerest flattery.’  But, even allowing him to possess it, mere beauty without rank is ridiculous and worthless.  A Boat without water—­a Carriage, but no horses—­a Well, but never a winch:  such is beauty without rank and wealth!  There is no real worth apart from rank and wealth.  Combine Beauty, Rank, and Wealth, and you have the whole world at your feet.  Now you know the secret of the world worshipping ME.”

And the Diamond sparkled and gleamed with vivid, violet flashes, so that the Beetle was glad to shade his eyes.