An Intriguing Story For Kids: The Little Match Girl – By Hans Christian Andersen
This
is a story about a poor little girl on the street, who sells matches. The story
captures her ordeals and her vision through the night.
It is advised that parents should read it first before sharing it with their kids, as it may contain some themes that the child may be sensitive to, other than that it is a lovely story.
The Little Match Girl
A long time ago, on one of those terribly cold nights of the year
with the snow falling rapidly and the nights almost dark, was a poor little
girl on the streets, without covering on her head and barefooted. It was the
last evening of the year, she had left home with her slippers on, but they had
been too large for her feet. It was the same slippers her mother her worn until
then and she had lost them while running across the streets from two carriages
moving very fast.
She went looking for the slippers but couldn’t find one, the other
a boy has seized it and ran away, saying he would use it for a cradle for his
kids someday in the future. The poor little girl was sad, from then on she went
on bare feet in the cold of the night. She carried bundles of matches in an old
apron which she worn and held some in her hands, but so far nobody had bought
any from her or even given her a penny.
Shivering to her bones with cold and hunger, she crept along not
wanting her misery to cripple her. The snowflakes of the night had fallen on
her long flaxen hair, which hung in pretty curls about her throat, giving her a
new look. But, she couldn’t bring herself to think of her beauty, how could she
when she was the perfect picture of misery. All she could think of was the
sweet-savory smell of roast goose that came from the houses she passed, for it
was New Year’s Eve.
She found a corner formed by two houses, one of the houses
projecting higher than the other, she sat down and drew her little feet under
her, but the cold grew stronger in her. She couldn’t go home now, she hadn’t
sold any bundle of matches yet and have no money to present. Her father would
definitely beat her, by the way, her house was cold enough with the leaking
roof over their heads which they have tried to stop with straw and rags, still,
there were many holes left for the cold wind to penetrate.
Lost in her thought of what might happen if she went home, her
hands were gradually freezing with cold. “Maybe, a single match would do me
good if I drew it from the bundle, rub it against the wall and warm my hands,”
she thought to herself.
At last, she made up her, drew one out of the bundle, rubbed it
against the wall, and whist! There was fire, it blazed and burned like a little
candle, giving warmth to her as she held her hands over it. An amazing light it
was. It seemed to her as though she sat in front of a great iron stove with
polished brass feet and brass shovel and tongs. It burnt so brightly that she
had to warm her feet as well. She when she was about to get comfortable, the
flame went out, and the only thing that remained was the little burnt match in
her hand.
She rubbed yet another match against the wall to keep herself
warm, it burnt brightly as before. She realized that each light that fell on
the wall made it transparent like a veil so that she could see what was in the
room. A roast goose carefully stuffed with apples and prunes, famously steamed,
in a beautiful china dinner-service and placed on a snow-white cloth spread
upon a table, giving the most appealing smell. To her surprise, the goose
jumped from the dish, with the knife and fork in its breast, and slid along the
floor towards the girl. Just then, the light went out, and nothing was left
except the thick walls that formed the corner.
She lit another match, but this time she was under the most
beautiful Christmas tree she had ever seen. It was larger and far better
trimmed than the ones she had seen in the glass doors of the rich merchants.
There were about hundreds of wax tapers that burned on the green branches and
gay figures, such as she had not seen before. She stretched out her to reach
them, but the match light went out.
The lights of the Christmas tree kept growing higher and higher.
She thought the Christmas lights to be stars in the sky, and one of them fell,
forming a long trail of fire.
A child whispered softly, “now someone is dying.” Her grandmother,
who happened to be the only person to love her when she was alive, had told her
that whenever a star falls, a soul goes up to God.
She lit another match and there was light. This time, her dead old
grandmother appeared before her, all bright and radiant, and looked all sweet
and happy as she had never been on earth.
“Take me with you, oh grandmother” she begged, “I know that once
this light goes out, you would disappear like the iron stove, Christmas feast
and the beautiful Christmas tree all did. Please take me with you.” In a bid to
keep her grandmother there with her, she struck the whole bundle of matches
against the wall. The matches burnt so brightly that its light was brighter
than the noonday. Her grandmother looking so grand and beautiful took the
little girl in her arms, and they flew higher and higher into the cloud, far
above the earth. For them, there were neither hunger, cold nor pain, for they
were with God.
When morning came, her body was found frozen and enclosed by
snowflakes with her bundle of used up matches on the floor.
“oh poor little thing, she must have tried to keep herself warm
through the night,” people said. No one imagined the beautiful visions she had
had, or how marvelously she had gone to heaven with her grandmother.
Feel free to share your thoughts on the comment box below, your
suggestions and recommendations are fully welcomed. Visit this site regularly
for more beautiful kid stories.
See also:
No comments