The Fireflies (A Christmas Fable)

Once, two little fireflies were looking for a home in a tree.

First they tried a tall Oak tree who was very, very proud.

“Please, Mr Oak tree, sir”, they asked, humbly, “May we come and live in your branches?”.

“No, you certainly may not!”, said the Oak tree, snootily, “I don’t want a bunch of buzzing flies in my branches, eating all my leaves, huh! Be off with you!”.

So then they tried a weeping willow tree who was bent over a lake staring gloomily at her own reflection and feeling sorry for herself.

“Please, Miss Willow”, they asked, “Would you give us a home in your long, slender branches?”.

“Oh, boo-hoo!”, wept the willow, “Isn’t my life hard enough without having a swarm of flies buzzing round my branches. Oh, please just go away and leave me alone”.

Now the two little fireflies were feeling rather sad themselves, their tails glowing more dimly with unhappiness, because they thought that they might never find a place to live.

However, just as they were giving up hope; a Fir tree that had overheard what the other two trees had said, called to them, saying,

“You can come and live in my branches if you like. They’re a bit prickly but, if you don’t mind that, then you’re very welcome”.

"Oh, thank you, Mr Fir tree, thankyou!", said the little fireflies, gratefully, settling upon one of its prickly pine scented branches.

Now both the snooty oak tree and the self-pitying willow tree shook with laughter at the fir tree because they both thought him very foolish to be so kind.

However, when winter came, the two little fireflies had lots and lots of little children, all with brightly glowing tails and, filling its branches, the fireflies looked just like lights upon a Christmas tree.

Then everyone who passed by that fir tree said how pretty it looked, all lit up and the snooty Oak tree and the sobbing willow tree were both very jealous indeed.

Merry Christmas xxx