1.Once there grew in the centre of a large park a beautiful maple-tree.The park was close to a great city，and in the evenings many people left the hot dusty streets and went to walk on the smooth，soft turf ，orto rest under the shade of the spreading trees .
2.All through the summer the maple was covered with green leaves，but when autumn came，its leaves changed colour.They began to turn red and yellow.Then people said，“How beautiful the maple-tree is！In all the park there is not another tree whose leaves are so pretty and so bright.”
3.The maple was so pleased to hear herself praised，that she began to flutter her leaves and toss her head in a very proud，vain manner.She spread out her boughs so far that a little holly-tree which grew beside her was almost hidden from sight.
4.“It does not matter，”said the maple，“if I do hide the holly，for no one cares to look at him.He is such a plain little tree.His leaves do not turn red and yellow like mine.”
5.The holly heard the unkind words of the maple，but he did not say anything.He only rustled his stiff leaves and sighed .
6.A good fairy that watched over the trees in the
park passed by just then，and said，“Why do you sigh，little holly？Are you unhappy？”
7.The holly replied，“I only sighed because themaple is so much more beautiful than I.She seems to please every one，but nobody cares for me.”
8.The good fairy felt very sorry for the poor little holly，for he did look plain and small beside the great maple.So she touched him with her wand，and said，“Tree，tree，be cheerful for me，And you for ever green shall be.”
9.When the holly-tree heard her，he smiled brightly and rustled his leaves contentedly.
In a few days the bright maple leaves turned brown and fell to the earth，and the branches were left bare.The beauty of the maple was gone.
10.Then the snow came，and in all the park there was but one bright，cheerful spot，and that was where the little holly bravely stood，with his leaves as green as they were in summer.
11.All through the cold winter，the sight of his hardygreen leaves cheered the people who passed by.
So they said，“Let us call the holly an ’evergreen.‘“And to this day he keeps green all the year round.