Fairy tales about the seasons and nature

The Fir Tree follows one tree from the forest to a Christmas room, then to an attic, a yard and the fire. It never enjoys where it is until it is too late, which makes it a thoughtful winter story for a child who can sit with a sad one.

The Selfish Giant shows the seasons as characters. Snow, Frost, the North Wind and Hail move into the walled garden, Autumn gives it no fruit, and Spring stays away. It comes back only when the children climb into the trees again.

The Oak and the Reeds takes two minutes and happens in one gale. The old oak is torn up by its roots and thrown across the river, while the thin reeds lie flat and come through unbroken. Save it for an evening when the wind is up.

For autumn, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow opens with pumpkins in the sun and a harvest party at the Van Tassel farm, and closes with a lonely ride home at midnight. It is a ghost story, so it fits a child of seven or more.