Девочка со спичками

           Mostterriblycolditwas;itsnowed,andwasnearlyquitedark,andevening—thelasteveningoftheyear.Inthiscoldanddarknesstherewentalongthestreetapoorlittlegirl,bareheaded,andwithnakedfeet.Whenshelefthomeshehadslipperson,itistrue;butwhatwasthegoodofthat?Theywereverylargeslippers,whichhermotherhadhithertoworn;solargewerethey;andthepoorlittlethinglostthemasshescuffledawayacrossthestreet,becauseoftwocarriagesthatrolledbydreadfullyfast.

           Oneslipperwasnowheretobefound;theotherhadbeenlaidholdofbyanurchin,andoffheranwithit;hethoughtitwoulddocapitallyforacradlewhenhesomedayorothershouldhavechildrenhimself.Sothelittlemaidenwalkedonwithhertinynakedfeet,thatwerequiteredandbluefromcold.Shecarriedaquantityofmatchesinanoldapron,andsheheldabundleoftheminherhand.Nobodyhadboughtanythingofherthewholelivelongday;noonehadgivenherasinglefarthing.

           Shecreptalongtremblingwithcoldandhunger—averypictureofsorrow,thepoorlittlething!

           Theflakesofsnowcoveredherlongfairhair,whichfellinbeautifulcurlsaroundherneck;butofthat,ofcourse,sheneveroncenowthought.Fromallthewindowsthecandlesweregleaming,anditsmeltsodeliciouslyofroastgoose,foryouknowitwasNewYear’sEve;yes,ofthatshethought.

           Inacornerformedbytwohouses,ofwhichoneadvancedmorethantheother,sheseatedherselfdownandcoweredtogether.