She struck another match against the wall. It burned brightly, and when the light fell upon the wall it became transparent like a thin veil, and she could see through it into a room. On the table a snow-white cloth was spread, and on it stood a shining dinner service. The roast goose steamed gloriously, stuffed with apples and prunes. And what was still better, the goose jumped down from the dish and waddled along the floor, with a knife and fork in its breast, right over to the little girl. Then the match went out, and she could see only the thick, cold wall. She lighted another match. Then she was sitting under the most beautiful Christmas tree. It was much larger and much more beautiful than the one she had seen last Christmad through the glass door at the rich merchants home. Thousands of candles burned on the green branches, and colored pictures like those in the printshops looked down at her. The little girl reached both her hands toward them. Then the match went out. But the Christmas lights mounted higher. Shd saw them now as bright stars in the sky. One of them fell down, forming a long line of fire. Now someone is dying, thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now dead, had told her that when a star fell down a soul went up to God. She rubbed another match against the wall. It became bright again, and in the glow the old grandmother stood clear and shining, kind and lovely. Grandmother! cried the child. Oh, take me with you! I know you will disappear when the match is burned out. You will vanish like the warm stove, the wonderful roast goose and the beautiful big Christmas tree! And she quickly struck the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother with her. And the matches burned wirh such a glow that it became brighter than daylight. Grandmother had never been so grand and beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and both of them flew in brightness and joy above the earth, very, very, high, and up there was neither cold, nor hunger, nor fear-they were with God. But in the corner, leaning against the wall, sat the little girl with red cheeks and smiling mouth, frozen to death on the last evening of the odld year. The New Years sun rose upom a 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 one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, and how happily she had gone with her old grandmother into bright New Year.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 09:43:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015