Do we remember on a classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Match-Girl ?.. This story is my favorite fairy tales when I was a kid. My mother read this tale to me when I would go to sleep..
There`s the storyline..
It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almostdark. Evening came on, the last evening of the year. In the coldand gloom a poor little girl, bareheaded and barefoot, waswalking through the streets. Of course when she had left herhouse she'd had slippers on, but what good had they been?They were very big slippers, way too big for her, for theybelonged to her mother. The little girl had lost them runningacross the road, where two carriages had rattled by terriblyfast. One slipper she'd not been able to find again, and aboy had run off with the other, saying he could use it very wellas a cradle some day when he had children of his own. And so thelittle girl walked on her naked feet, which were quite red andblue with the cold. In an old apron she carried several packagesof matches, and she held a box of them in her hand. No one hadbought any from her all day long, and no one had given her acent.
Shivering with cold and hunger, she crept along, a pictureof misery, poor little girl! The snowflakes fell on her long fairhair, which hung in pretty curls over her neck. In all thewindows lights were shining, and there was a wonderful smell ofroast goose, for it was New Year's eve. Yes, she thought ofthat!
In a corner formed by two houses, one of which projectedfarther out into the street than the other, she sat down and drewup her little feet under her. She was getting colder and colder,but did not dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, norearned a single cent, and her father would surely beat her.Besides, it was cold at home, for they had nothing over them buta roof through which the wind whistled even though the biggestcracks had been stuffed with straw and rags.
Her hands were almost dead with cold. Oh, how much onelittle match might warm her! If she could only take one from thebox and rub it against the wall and warm her hands. She drew oneout. R-r-ratch! How it sputtered and burned! It made awarm, bright flame, like a little candle, as she held her handsover it; but it gave a strange light! It really seemed to thelittle girl as if she were sitting before a great iron stove withshining brass knobs and a brass cover. How wonderfully the fireburned! How comfortable it was! The youngster stretched out herfeet to warm them too; then the little flame went out, the stovevanished, and she had only the remains of the burnt match in herhand.
She struck another match against the wall. It burnedbrightly, and when the light fell upon the wall it becametransparent like a thin veil, and she could see through it into aroom. On the table a snow-white cloth was spread, and on it stooda shining dinner service. The roast goose steamed gloriously,stuffed with apples and prunes. And what was still better, thegoose jumped down from the dish and waddled along the floor witha knife and fork in its breast, right over to the little girl.Then the match went out, and she could see only the thick, coldwall. She lighted another match. Then she was sitting under themost beautiful Christmas tree. It was much larger and much morebeautiful than the one she had seen last Christmas through theglass door at the rich merchant's home. Thousands ofcandles burned on the green branches, and colored pictures likethose in the printshops looked down at her. The little girlreached both her hands toward them. Then the match went out. Butthe Christmas lights mounted higher. She saw them now as brightstars in the sky. One of them fell down, forming a long line offire.
"Now someone is dying," thought the little girl, for her oldgrandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was nowdead, had told her that when a star fell down a soul went up toGod.
She rubbed another match against the wall. It became brightagain, and in the glow the old grandmother stood clear andshining, kind and lovely.
"Grandmother!" cried the child. "Oh, take me with you! Iknow you will disappear when the match is burned out. You willvanish like the warm stove, the wonderful roast goose and thebeautiful big Christmas tree!"
And she quickly struck the whole bundle of matches, for shewished to keep her grandmother with her. And the matches burnedwith such a glow that it became brighter than daylight.Grandmother had never been so grand and beautiful. She took thelittle girl in her arms, and both of them flew in brightness andjoy above the earth, very, very high, and up there was neithercold, nor hunger, nor fear-they were with God.
But in the corner, leaning against the wall, sat the littlegirl with red cheeks and smiling mouth, frozen to death on thelast evening of the old year. The New Year's sun rose upona little pathetic figure. The child sat there, stiff and cold,holding the matches, of which one bundle was almost burned.
"She wanted to warm herself," the people said. No oneimagined what beautiful things she had seen, and how happily shehad gone with her old grandmother into the bright New Year.
This story is so inspiring to me, to understand what`s the point of my life?.. what`s the point of my religion?.. what`s my point in society?..
If you are proud of believing one religion, but your life wasted lives of others, even though only a poor kid alone .. I want to tell you, a MONGREL is still a lot better than people who are proud of their religion..
I`m Maylanie C. Liem, thanks for taking the time to read my article.. Wish your life is full of happiness.. ^^
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