# The Foolish Fir-Tree explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Henry van Dyke Jr..

## What happens

A fir tree, discontented with its evergreen needles, wishes for a more beautiful dress. The fairies grant its wishes for golden leaves, then glass leaves, then lettuce leaves, but each time the tree is robbed, broken, or eaten. It learns to be content with its natural state and wakes from a dream to find itself happy as a Christmas tree.

## Themes in this chapter

### Nature and Divine Beauty

The fir-tree's natural evergreen dress is portrayed as beautiful and sufficient, contrasting with the artificial and fleeting adornments it desires.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator tells the tale of the foolish fir-tree, originally by Rückert, to children.

## Key lines

> He knew at last he had been a fool, To think of breaking the forest rule, And choosing a dress himself to please, Because he envied the other trees.

The tree realized its mistake in trying to be different out of envy, rather than accepting its natural place in the forest.

_The moral of the story: contentment with one's own nature is wiser than envy-driven change._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se/chapters/the-foolish-fir-tree
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se/chapters