` Ah ! ' thought the tree , ` if it were only evening ! Then the tapers would soon be lighted . What will happen then ? I wonder whether the trees will come from the wood to see me , or if the sparrows will fly against the window panes ? Am I to stand here decked out thus through winter and summer ? ' It was not a bad guess , but the fir-tree had real bark-ache from sheer longing , and bark-ache in trees is just as bad as head-ache in human beings . Now the tapers were lighted . What a glitter ! What splendour ! The tree quivered in all its branches so much , that one of the candles caught the green , and singed it . ` Take care ! ' cried the young ladies , and they extinguished it . Now the tree did not even dare to quiver . It was really terrible ! It was so afraid of losing any of its ornaments , and it was quite bewildered by all the radiance . And then the folding doors were opened , and a crowd of children rushed in , as though they wanted to knock down the whole tree , whilst the older people followed soberly . The children stood quite silent , but only for a moment , and then they shouted again , and danced round the tree , and snatched off one present after another . ` What are they doing ? ' thought the tree .
` What is going XXXXX happen ? '
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