The Little Match Girl

For the 1928 French film, see The Little Match Girl (1928 film). For the 2006 Disney animated short film, see The Little Matchgirl (2006 film).
"Match Girl" redirects here. For the short story by Anne Bishop, see Match Girl (short story).
"The Little Match Girl"

A. J. Bayes illustration, 1889
Author Hans Christian Andersen
Original title "Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne"
Country Denmark
Language Danish
Genre(s) Short story
Published in Dansk Folkekalender for 1846
Publication date December 1845

"The Little Match Girl" (Danish: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne, meaning "The little girl with the matchsticks") is a short story by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The story, about a dying child's dreams and hope, was first published in 1845. It has been adapted to various media, including an animated short film and a television musical.

Plot summary

On a cold New Year's Eve, a young, poor girl tries to sell matches in the street. She is already shivering from cold and early hypothermia.[1] Still she is afraid to go home, because her father will beat her for not selling any matches. She shelters in a nook and sits down.[2]

The girl lights the matches to warm herself. In their glow she sees several lovely visions, including a Christmas tree and a holiday feast. The girl looks skyward and sees a shooting star; she then remembers her dead grandmother saying that such a falling star means someone is dying and is going to Heaven. As she lights the next match, she sees a vision of her grandmother, the only person to have treated her with love and kindness. She strikes one match after another to keep the vision of her grandmother alive for as long as she can.

After running out of matches the child dies, and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven. The next morning, passers-by find the child dead in the nook and feel pity for her, although they had not shown kindness to her before her death.[3] Andersen intended this to be a happy ending, as the girl is happy in Heaven with her grandmother and God, never to suffer in poverty again. Some more modern versions have changed the ending, so that a kind family rescues the girl from the cold and gives her good food, warm clothing, and a soft bed.

Publication

"The Little Match Girl" was first published December 1845, in Dansk Folkekalender for 1846. The work was re-published as a part of New Fairy Tales (4 March 1848), Second Volume, Second Collection (Nye Eventyr (1848), Andet Bind, Anden Samling), and again 18 December 1849 as a part of Fairy Tales (1850; Eventyr). The work was also published 30 March 1863 as a part of Fairy Tales and Stories (1863), Second Volume (Eventyr og Historier (1863), Andet Bind).[4]

Adaptations

Amusement park attractions

The Little Match Girl in the Fairy Tale Forest, Efteling, Netherlands

Anime and manga

Comics

Films

16mm short subject films

Animated films

Live-action films

Games

Literature

Music

Television

See also

References

External links

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