BY HANS ANDERSONBY HANS ANDERSON

About the AuthorAbout the AuthorHans Christian Andersen was an author Hans Christian Andersen was an author

and poet noted for his stories for and poet noted for his stories for children. children.

He lived between the years 1805 and He lived between the years 1805 and 1875 in Denmark.1875 in Denmark.

Some of his famous stories are Some of his famous stories are The The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Snow Queen, Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly DucklingLittle Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling

and and The Emperor's New Clothes.The Emperor's New Clothes.

and she lived in a small house in the dark forest

There was a little girlchild,

There was a village at the edge of the forest

Little match girl was living Little match girl was living with her motherwith her mother

and her cruel and her cruel stepfatherstepfather..

They were very poor and she had to earn money for her family.

She had learned that she could buy matches for a half-penny there,

and that she could sell them on the street for a full penny.

She was always sad,She was always sad,

and forced little poor girl to earn money by selling and forced little poor girl to earn money by selling matches.matches.

because her stepfather always got angry with her.because her stepfather always got angry with her.

She had no shoes,and her coat was very thin. She had no shoes,and her coat was very thin.

It was a Christmas night.

The winter came and it was very cold.The winter came and it was very cold.

There was a freezing cold.She wandered the streets and begged strangers, please buy matches from her

All children except one were running and having fun in the street.

Because they were rich but ,she was poor.

The poor girl's hands

and legs were shaking with

the cold.

Her little hands were almost frozen with the cold

She was crying by looking at matches in her hands.

Yes,she was a match seller girl

and her father would certainly beat her at home.

She couldn’t sell any matches so she couldn’t go She couldn’t sell any matches so she couldn’t go homehome..Because she could not take home even a penny of money

She was ashamed of her mother.

At least she wanted to eat one At least she wanted to eat one bowl of soup with her mother.bowl of soup with her mother.

Lights were shining from every windowLights were shining from every window and there and there

was a savory smell of roastwas a savory smell of roasteded goose goose

she was shouting ''would you like match?she was shouting ''would you like match?''by shaking. ''by shaking.

But nobody looked at her.But nobody looked at her.

I wish I had my slippers too , she murmured.I wish I had my slippers too , she murmured.

While she was crossing the street, her slippers While she was crossing the street, her slippers stayed on the road.stayed on the road.

She wanted to take her slippers back She wanted to take her slippers back but , a mischievous boy ran away with her slippers.but , a mischievous boy ran away with her slippers.

Match girl sat down in front of a house saying , Match girl sat down in front of a house saying , "I have matches. I can light a fire and I can warm and tried to stay and tried to stay

away from the falling snow. away from the falling snow.

She decided to light the matches anyway.She lit a match to get warm her frozen fingers in her hands.She lit a match to get warm her frozen fingers in her hands.

it seemed that the cold it seemed that the cold andandthe snow disappeared the snow disappeared altogether. altogether.

As she sat there with As she sat there with her legs straight out her legs straight out in front of her, in front of her, she struck the first match.she struck the first match.

She wasShe was looking at the looking at the burning match in her burning match in her hand and slipped into hand and slipped into dreams.dreams.

SShe was wearing a wool cardigan and floral-he was wearing a wool cardigan and floral-patterned slippers in her day dream.patterned slippers in her day dream.

The burning match in her hands went off and The burning match in her hands went off and dreams disappeared in the darkness of the night.dreams disappeared in the darkness of the night.

The little girl's hands began to get cold again The little girl's hands began to get cold again and lit another match . Match girl turned to and lit another match . Match girl turned to

the wall because the wind was blowing.the wall because the wind was blowing.

She was in a warm room and there were She was in a warm room and there were a variety of different foods in that room.a variety of different foods in that room.

In the middle of the room there was a huge In the middle of the room there was a huge roasted goose and she droolled.roasted goose and she droolled.

It came to the end so match lit herIt came to the end so match lit her fingers.fingers.

When it burnt her fingers she threw the matchstick on the floor.All the images disaappeared in the wall.

Little poor girl saw lots of daydreams Little poor girl saw lots of daydreams withwith the the third match. She was looking at the stars ,birds third match. She was looking at the stars ,birds

were singing and frogs were croaking.were singing and frogs were croaking. Although it Although it was winter time,weather was very hot and land was was winter time,weather was very hot and land was

too hot to touch.too hot to touch.

Suddenly she saw a falling star in the sky and she told Suddenly she saw a falling star in the sky and she told herself, somebody has died again .She remembered her herself, somebody has died again .She remembered her

grangranddmother’s sentence.mother’s sentence.

She was like in a dream now.She was about to She was like in a dream now.She was about to sleep.She saw her grandmother coming from the sleep.She saw her grandmother coming from the sky like an angel.Her grandmother embraced her sky like an angel.Her grandmother embraced her and took her to the sky.and took her to the sky. There was no cold and no There was no cold and no

hunger and no pain any more.hunger and no pain any more.

The next day people noticed the little girl’s The next day people noticed the little girl’s frozen body and a lot of empty matchboxes frozen body and a lot of empty matchboxes

in front of a house.in front of a house.

But nobody knew that she actually died. But nobody knew that she actually died. She was only in the world of her dreams.She was only in the world of her dreams.

You may feel saddened at this child’s You may feel saddened at this child’s death.But don’t feel pity for she is now in a death.But don’t feel pity for she is now in a place of unimaginable happiness and grace.place of unimaginable happiness and grace.

HANS ANDERSONHANS ANDERSON