Once there was a little tree.
This little tree was not happy.
It said, "My leaves are not pretty.
They are long and thin.
I wish I had gold leaves.
Gold leaves are pretty."
The Tree Fairy heard the little tree.
"I will give you gold leaves," she said.
The Tree Fairy touched the little tree.
"Now you have gold leaves."
"How pretty I am!" said the little tree.
The little tree was very happy.
Then a man saw the little tree.
"Gold leaves!" he said, "I will get all the leaves.
Then I will sell them.
I will be a very rich man."
The man took all the leaves away,
How sad the little tree was!
"Gold leaves are not for me.
I wish I had leaves of colored glass."
The Tree Fairy heard the little tree.
"I will give you leaves of colored glass."
The Tree Fairy touched the little tree,
"Now you have leaves of colored glass."
"How pretty I am!" said the little tree.
The little tree was very happy.
But by and by the rain came.
The wind blew.
The leaves of the little tree were all broken.
How sad the little tree was!
"Leaves of colored glass are not for me.
But I wish I had big green leaves like the other trees."
The Tree Fairy heard the little tree.
She touched the little tree.
She gave it big green leaves.
The little tree was very happy.
But after a time a goat came by.
It ate all the leaves of the little tree.
How sad the little tree was!
"Oh, me!" said the little tree.
"My old leaves were best after all.
I wish I could have them back."
The Tree Fairy was good fairy.
So she touched the little tree.
She gave it back its long, thin, and small leaves.
How happy the little tree was!
"Now I know!" the tree said.
"It is best to be happy with what one has."
The birds were happy, too.
They sang and made their home,
In the branches of the little tree.