A Little Match Girl

It was very cold. It snowed and it grew dark. It was the last evening of the year, New Year's Eve. In the cold and dark, a poor little girl, with bare head and bare feet was walking through the streets. A poor little girl was selling matches.

People all around were merrymaking and celebrating the new year's eve.

The little girl was sitting beside in the freezing cold. She wasn't wearing shoes. Today, no one had bought her matchboxes. She had no single cent. Her father would beat her. And it was cold at home, they had nothing to warmed their body.

Her small hands were quite numb with the cold. Ah! a little match might made her felt warmer.

She took a match from the box and strike against the wall. In the wonderful light, her hallucination took her to the beautiful house, with the nice roast goose. Suddenly, the match went out. She came back to the cold street with the end of the burned match in her hand.

She struck another. It gave a light. Her hallucination took her under the beautiful christmas tree. The most beautiful she's ever seen. She was very happy. But suddenly, the match went out and only thick, damp and wall around her.

She lighted another and saw her grandmother. The only person to have treated her with love and kindness. She struck one match after another to keep the vision of her grandmother as long as she can.

She rubbed another match against the wall. It became bright again, and in the light there stood the old grandmother clear and shining, mild and lovely.      

                                     

"Grandmother!'' cried the child. "Oh, take me with you! I know you will go when the match is burned out. You will go away like the warm stove, the nice roast goose, and the great glorious Christmas tree!''

And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that it became brighter than in the middle of the day. Grandmother had never been so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl up in her arms, and both flew in the light and the joy so high, so high! and up there was no cold, nor hunger, nor care - they were with God.And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that it became brighter than in the middle of the day. Grandmother had never been so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl up in her arms, and both flew in the light and the joy so high, so high! and up there was no cold, nor hunger, nor care - they were with God.