by Hans
Christian Andersen (1805-1875)
These
events took place on the last day of the old year. Poor little girl, dressed in
old worn-out clothes roamed the streets of a big town. Her parents were very
poor and her father lost his job, so she was earning her bread selling matches.
It was freezing and heavy snow was falling. People walking by, wrapped in warm
furs, were passing her indifferently. Unfortunately, nobody needed matches.
In the evening, tired, the girl hid
herself in a corner between two houses and struck a match to warm her cold
hands. She closed her eyes for a while and when she opened them again, she saw
a huge fireplace with fire burning cheerfully.
“Oh, how beautiful,” she whispered
with delight, bringing her little hands closer to the flame. Then, because of a
sudden gust, the match went out and the magic was gone. The girl was again on a
cold pavement. Next to her was the half-burnt match.
“Poor girl!” someone stopped for a
while but soon was on his way again.
The wind was raging around so the
little street vendor took out the second match. Soon the faint flame
illuminated the wall of the nearby house which suddenly became transparent. The
girl could see a cozy room with a table full of food.
“I must be dreaming,” the girl
thought. But when she held out her hand for a piece of cake, the match went out
and everything disappeared.
“Happy New Year!” the people passing
by were greeting each other. Nobody paid any attention to a tiny shape at the
wall. Slowly it was getting dark and the lights were shining from every window.
The girl looked around and sighed. She tightly wrapped herself in a patched
shawl and took out another match.
This time the flame brought out of
the dark a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, glowing with burning tapers.
And although Christmas was already gone, there were beautifully wrapped
presents under the Christmas tree. The girl knew they were for her. Her cold
cheeks blushed with joy. The Christmas tree was buzzing amicably. When the child
wanted to touch the nicely smelling twigs though, the third match went out and
the Christmas tree disappeared in the darkness.
The streets became deserted. New
Year was coming. The girl looked up to the starlit skies.
“Oh if only my grandmother could be here
with me!” she thought with sadness. And at the same time she heard a familiar
voice next to her, “I am here, darling. Come with me and you will never know
hunger nor cold again.”
The girl embraced her grandmother
tightly and they both flew upwards, far above the earth, to the land of eternal
happiness.
The next morning people walking by
found the dead girl leaning against the wall. She looked as if she was smiling
in her sleep.
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