the little match-seller-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LITTLE　MATCH…SELLER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IT　was　terribly　cold　and　nearly　dark　on　the　last　evening　of　the

old　year；　and　the　snow　was　falling　fast。　In　the　cold　and　the　darkness；

a　poor　little　girl；　with　bare　head　and　naked　feet；　roamed　through

the　streets。　It　is　true　she　had　on　a　pair　of　slippers　when　she　left

home；　but　they　were　not　of　much　use。　They　were　very　large；　so　large；

indeed；　that　they　had　belonged　to　her　mother；　and　the　poor　little

creature　had　lost　them　in　running　across　the　street　to　avoid　two

carriages　that　were　rolling　along　at　a　terrible　rate。　One　of　the

slippers　she　could　not　find；　and　a　boy　seized　upon　the　other　and　ran

away　with　it；　saying　that　he　could　use　it　as　a　cradle；　when　he　had

children　of　his　own。　So　the　little　girl　went　on　with　her　little

naked　feet；　which　were　quite　red　and　blue　with　the　cold。　In　an　old

apron　she　carried　a　number　of　matches；　and　had　a　bundle　of　them　in　her

hands。　No　one　had　bought　anything　of　her　the　whole　day；　nor　had　any

one　given　here　even　a　penny。　Shivering　with　cold　and　hunger；　she　crept

along；　poor　little　child；　she　looked　the　picture　of　misery。　The

snowflakes　fell　on　her　long；　fair　hair；　which　hung　in　curls　on　her

shoulders；　but　she　regarded　them　not。

　　　　Lights　were　shining　from　every　window；　and　there　was　a　savory

smell　of　roast　goose；　for　it　was　New…year's　eve…　yes；　she　remembered

that。　In　a　corner；　between　two　houses；　one　of　which　projected　beyond

the　other；　she　sank　down　and　huddled　herself　together。　She　had　drawn

her　little　feet　under　her；　but　she　could　not　keep　off　the　cold；　and

she　dared　not　go　home；　for　she　had　sold　no　matches；　and　could　not　take

home　even　a　penny　of　money。　Her　father　would　certainly　beat　her；

besides；　it　was　almost　as　cold　at　home　as　here；　for　they　had　only

the　roof　to　cover　them；　through　which　the　wind　howled；　although　the

largest　holes　had　been　stopped　up　with　straw　and　rags。　Her　little

hands　were　almost　frozen　with　the　cold。　Ah！　perhaps　a　burning　match

might　be　some　good；　if　she　could　draw　it　from　the　bundle　and　strike　it

against　the　wall；　just　to　warm　her　fingers。　She　drew　one

out…〃scratch！〃　how　it　sputtered　as　it　burnt！　It　gave　a　warm；　bright

light；　like　a　little　candle；　as　she　held　her　hand　over　it。　It　was

really　a　wonderful　light。　It　seemed　to　the　little　girl　that　she　was

sitting　by　a　large　iron　stove；　with　polished　brass　feet　and　a　brass

ornament。　How　the　fire　burned！　and　seemed　so　beautifully　warm　that　the

child　stretched　out　her　feet　as　if　to　warm　them；　when；　lo！　the　flame

of　the　match　went　out；　the　stove　vanished；　and　she　had　only　the

remains　of　the　half…burnt　match　in　her　hand。

　　　　She　rubbed　another　match　on　the　wall。　It　burst　into　a　flame；　and

where　its　light　fell　upon　the　wall　it　became　as　transparent　as　a　veil；

and　she　could　see　into　the　room。　The　table　was　covered　with　a　snowy

white　table…cloth；　on　which　stood　a　splendid　dinner　service；　and　a

steaming　roast　goose；　stuffed　with　apples　and　dried　plums。　And　what

was　still　more　wonderful；　the　goose　jumped　down　from　the　dish　and

waddled　across　the　floor；　with　a　knife　and　fork　in　its　breast；　to

the　little　girl。　Then　the　match　went　out；　and　there　remained　nothing

but　the　thick；　damp；　cold　wall　before　her。

　　　　She　lighted　another　match；　and　then　she　found　herself　sitting

under　a　beautiful　Christmas…tree。　It　was　larger　and　more　beautifully

decorated　than　the　one　which　she　had　seen　through　the　glass　door　at

the　rich　merchant's。　Thousands　of　tapers　were　burning　upon　the　green

branches；　and　colored　pictures；　like　those　she　had　seen　in　the

show…windows；　looked　down　upon　it　all。　The　little　one　stretched　out

her　hand　towards　them；　and　the　match　went　out。

　　　　The　Christmas　lights　rose　higher　and　higher；　till　they　looked　to

her　like　the　stars　in　the　sky。　Then　she　saw　a　star　fall；　leaving

behind　it　a　bright　streak　of　fire。　〃Some　one　is　dying；〃　thought　the

little　girl；　for　her　old　grandmother；　the　only　one　who　had　ever

loved　her；　and　who　was　now　dead；　had　told　her　that　when　a　star

falls；　a　soul　was　going　up　to　God。

　　　　She　again　rubbed　a　match　on　the　wall；　and　the　light　shone　round

her；　in　the　brightness　stood　her　old　grandmother；　clear　and　shining；

yet　mild　and　loving　in　her　appearance。　〃Grandmother；〃　cried　the　little

one；　〃O　take　me　with　you；　I　know　you　will　go　away　when　the　match　burns

out；　you　will　vanish　like　the　warm　stove；　the　roast　goose；　and　the

large；　glorious　Christmas…tree。〃　And　she　made　haste　to　light　the　whole

bundle　of　matches；　for　she　wished　to　keep　her　grandmother　there。　And

the　matches　glowed　with　a　light　that　was　brighter　than　the　noon…day；

and　her　grandmother　had　never　appeared　so　large　or　so　beautiful。　She

took　the　little　girl　in　her　arms；　and　they　both　flew　upwards　in

brightness　and　joy　far　above　the　earth；　where　there　was　neither　cold

nor　hunger　nor　pain；　for　they　were　with　God。

　　　　In　the　dawn　of　morning　there　lay　the　poor　little　one；　with　pale

cheeks　and　smiling　mouth；　leaning　against　the　wall；　she　had　been

frozen　to　death　on　the　last　evening　of　the　year；　and　the　New…year's

sun　rose　and　shone　upon　a　little　corpse！　The　child　still　sat；　in　the

stiffness　of　death；　holding　the　matches　in　her　hand；　one　bundle　of

which　was　burnt。　〃She　tried　to　warm　herself；〃　said　some。　No　one

imagined　what　beautiful　things　she　had　seen；　nor　into　what　glory　she

had　entered　with　her　grandmother；　on　New…year's　day。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。