Fairy tale · 声匠改编 · 4:16
The Little Match Girl
On New Year's Eve a barefoot girl sells matches in the snow and lights them one by one to see warm, wonderful visions. Andersen's classic, told tenderly.
Narrator
The Little Match Girl
The Boy
The Gentleman
The Roast Goose
GrandmotherOther languages · 2 languages
About this story
The Little Match Girl is a fairy tale by the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, first published in 1845. A poor girl, afraid to go home on New Year's Eve, strikes her unsold matches to keep warm and sees a stove, a feast, a Christmas tree and her beloved grandmother in their light. This version keeps Andersen's ending but tells it tenderly: the girl goes away with her grandmother on a warm glow, and in the morning she is found peaceful and smiling, with no frightening words. It also gives the goose a voice and adds a passer-by who wishes he had stopped, so children finish thinking about what they could do.
What it teaches
Kindness matters most at the moments when it would be easiest to walk past. The story is sad, but it asks children to notice people who are cold, hungry or alone, and to share a little warmth.
Suits
Ages 5–10
Tips for telling it
- This one is sad. Choose a cosy evening, sit close, and leave time to talk afterwards.
- After each match, ask what your child would want to see in its light.
- Finish with one real thing your family could do this winter for someone who is cold or alone.
Questions people ask
- What is the moral of The Little Match Girl?
- Andersen wanted readers to see the poor and lonely people around them, especially on holidays when everyone else is warm and celebrating. The story asks us not to walk past someone who needs help.
- Does the Little Match Girl die at the end?
- Yes. In Andersen's 1845 story she dies of cold on New Year's Eve, and her grandmother carries her up to heaven. This retelling keeps that ending but tells it gently: she goes with her grandmother on a warm light and is found in the morning, peaceful and smiling.
- Is The Little Match Girl a Christmas story?
- It is set on New Year's Eve rather than Christmas Eve, although one of her visions is a Christmas tree. It is often read at Christmas because of its winter setting and its message about caring for others.
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