“The Little Match Girl” dreamed more than anything else of eating roast goose with her loving family, but the author prepared something better for her. Yes, yes, this is a fairy tale happy ending
Folk and original fairy tales without adaptation often amaze the unprepared reader with their cruelty and hopelessness. If in the first case we are dealing with archetypal images, fears and superstitions of entire peoples, then in the second the personality of the author plays a large role.
Hans Christian Andersen, although considered a children's writer, wrote not only and not so much for children. Calling his fairy tales sweet children's reading would be a stretch.
“The Little Match Girl” is one of his toughest and saddest stories. This is not even a fairy tale, but a parable, yuletide story. The action takes place on New Year's Eve - a traditional time of miracles and fulfillment of wishes. The little heroine (the author does not name her) wanders home after an unsuccessful working day– she didn’t sell a single match. Andersen contrasts the pathetic appearance girls (beggar, bareheaded, barefoot) of the surrounding brightness and celebration. And even the beauty of the girl herself no longer matters - neither to her nor to those around her.
Snowflakessat downonherlongblondcurls, BeautifulcrumbledByshoulders, Butshe, rightor, AndNotsuspectedOvolume, WhatTheybeautiful. Isoeveryonewindowspouredlight, onstreettastysmelledfriedgoose- after allwaseveNewof the year. HereOhowsheI thought!
Illustration by Natalia Demidova
Beautiful blond curls mean nothing; roast goose turns out to be much more important. For a girl this is forgivable, she is hungry, but the author clearly shows the triumph of the material world over the spiritual, an inverted idea of the holiday. Miracles happen on New Year's Day, but no one wants to do a miracle for the poor girl, not even buy a box of matches from her, everyone is busy with their household chores, decorations, gifts, treats, tinsel that overshadows real beauty and real grief.
In reality, she only has hunger, cold and a father who, instead of protecting and protecting, will kill her for not saving a penny.
The girl herself dreams of getting into this rich beautiful world. Under the flashes of a match flame, which does not warm, but gives hope, she imagines beautiful pictures: a warm stove, snow-white tablecloths, expensive porcelain, a luxurious Christmas tree and the same roast goose. In reality, she only has hunger, cold and a father who, instead of protecting and protecting, will kill her for not earning a penny. The only person who ever loved the girl, her grandmother, recently died.
Most fairy tales are built on the principle of “bad => good” or “good => bad => good,” that is, a hero who finds himself in difficult situation, usually there is a happy ending. If the ending is unhappy, it means that the hero did not understand anything, did not learn life lessons from the current situation. Guided by such ideas, the reader subconsciously expects that a miracle will happen to the girl. One of the passers-by running about their holiday business should definitely notice the poor thing, take pity on it and warm it up. Or maybe the father himself realizes how wrong he is and will not scold the baby? It’s not for nothing that the action takes place on New Year’s Eve! This is a time for celebration, not for suffering and death. Especially for children.
Illustration by Natalia Demidova
But the only thing adults do when they discover her dead body in the morning is to indifferently state: “The girl wanted to warm herself.”
What is the point in this short, not in a festively bitter story, which is essentially the story of the death of the only hero of the story - a girl?
The very image of a child, contrasted with the well-fed and indifferent world of adults, is important.
Andersen, who himself experienced a difficult, impoverished childhood, an ugly duckling, misunderstood by those around him, mourns not only the nameless girl, but also all the children, offended and forgotten by adults. It’s not for nothing that he doesn’t give his heroine a name. Her name could be Mary, Gerda, Katya, Polina, or it could be a boy. The very image of a child, contrasted with the well-fed and indifferent world of adults, is important.
And yet, the ending of the story cannot be called unequivocally sad. Yeah, it doesn't happen to a girl New Year's miracle in the common sense. She doesn't sit at the table by the fire, eat roast goose surrounded by family and friends, and open gifts. But, according to the author, a much more important and beautiful miracle happens to her.
ANDmatchesflared upSodazzling, Whatbecamelighter, howduring the day. GrandmotheratlifeneverNotwassuchbeautiful, suchmajestic. Shetookgirlonhands, And, illuminatedlightAndjoy, bothTheyascendedhigh-high- there, WhereNoneitherhunger, norcold, norfear, - TheyascendedToto god.
- Girlwantedwarm, - they saidPeople. ANDnobodyNotknew, whichmiraclesshe saw, amongWhichbeautyTheytogetherWithgrandmothermetNew Year'sHappiness.
Illustration by Natalia Demidova
Andersen was a believer, so the death of the hero is not the end of his story. On the contrary, this is the beginning of something more beautiful, more important and perfect than a difficult earthly life full of hardships and deprivations. It seems that only after death can a person experience true happiness. Perhaps, according to Andersen, death was the best option for the girl. After all, if she were for festive table, she would eventually be able to join the ranks of indifferent adults. So the fairy tale principle “from bad to good” also works in this fairy tale. Albeit not in the usual way.
Why do children need this story? To learn to sympathize, do not forget to look around and remember that on the sidelines of the most grandiose event, the most solemn holiday There is always a girl with matches.
Today I want to give you New Year's tale. We changed the ending a little and filmed it with the whole team of kids. I hope you enjoy it! :)
]
How cold it was that evening! It was snowing and dusk was deepening. And the evening was the last of the year - New Year's Eve. During this cold and dark time, a little beggar girl, bareheaded and barefoot, wandered through the streets. True, she left the house with shoes on, but how much use were huge old shoes? Her mother had previously worn these shoes - that's how big they were - and the girl lost them today when she rushed to run across the road, frightened by two carriages that were rushing at full speed. She never found one shoe, some boy stole the other, saying that it would make an excellent cradle for his future children.
So the girl was now walking barefoot, and her legs were red and blue from the cold. In the pocket of her old apron were several packs of sulfur matches, and she held one pack in her hand. During that entire day she did not sell a single match, and she was not given a penny. She wandered hungry and cold and so exhausted, poor thing!
Snowflakes settled on her long blond curls, which scattered beautifully over her shoulders, but she, really, did not even suspect that they were beautiful. Light poured in from all the windows, and there was a delicious smell of roast goose on the street - after all, it was New Year's Eve. That's what she was thinking!
Finally, the girl found a corner behind the ledge of the house. Then she sat down and cowered, tucking her legs under her. But she felt even colder, and she didn’t dare return home: she hadn’t managed to sell a single match, she hadn’t earned a penny, and she knew that her father would beat her for this; besides, she thought, it’s cold at home too; they live in the attic, where the wind blows, although the largest cracks in the walls are plugged with straw and rags.
Her little hands were completely numb. Oh, how the light of a small match would warm them! If only she dared to pull out a match, strike it against the wall and warm her fingers! The girl timidly pulled out one match and... teal! How the match flared, how brightly it burned! The girl covered it with her hand, and the match began to burn with an even light flame, like a tiny candle.
Amazing candle! The girl felt as if she was sitting in front of a large iron stove with shiny copper balls and dampers. How gloriously the fire burns in her, what warmth emanates from it!
But what is it? The girl stretched her legs towards the fire to warm them, and suddenly... the flame went out, the stove disappeared, and the girl was left with a burnt match in her hand. She struck another match, the match lit up, glowed, and when its reflection fell on the wall, the wall became transparent, like muslin.
The girl saw a room in front of her, and in it a table covered with a snow-white tablecloth and lined with expensive porcelain; on the table, spreading a wonderful aroma, stood a dish of roast goose stuffed with prunes and apples!
And the most wonderful thing was that the goose suddenly jumped off the table and, as it was, with a fork and knife in its back, waddled along the floor. He walked straight towards the poor girl, but... the match went out, and an impenetrable, cold, damp wall again stood in front of the poor girl.
The girl lit another match.
Now she was sitting in front of a luxurious Christmas tree. This tree was much taller and more elegant than the one that the girl saw on Christmas Eve, approaching the house of a rich merchant and looking out the window. Thousands of candles burned on its green branches, and multi-colored pictures, such as those that decorate store windows, looked at the girl.
The little one stretched out her hands to them, but... the match went out. The lights began to go higher and higher and soon turned into clear stars. One of them rolled across the sky, leaving behind a long trail of fire.
“Someone has died,” the girl thought, because her recently deceased old grandmother, who alone in the whole world loved her, had told her more than once: “When a star falls, someone’s soul flies off to God.”
She lay down on the cold pavement and closed her eyes.
The little one would have frozen that New Year's Eve if the Angel had not seen her.
He came down to her from heaven and took her to the house of a childless family, where they really, really dreamed of a little girl.
And she told this story many years later to her grandchildren, on a wonderful New Year’s Eve.
Bonus. What's left behind the scenes:
Based on the fairy tale by H.H. Andersen “The Little Match Girl”.
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to everyone! And may miracles certainly happen in our lives! ;) ">
Name Girl with matches
Author G.H.Andersen
Illustrator Blair Tape
The year of publishing 1968
Publishing house Houghton Mifflin
Name Andersen's tales
Author G.H.Andersen
Illustrator Takeo Takei
The year of publishing 1928
Publishing house ???
Name Girl with matches
Author G.H.Andersen
Illustrator N. Demidova
The year of publishing 2010
Publishing house ABC classic
 |
 |
 |
|||
Name The little match girl
|
Name Fairy tales by H.H. Andersen
|
Name Fairy Tales of Hans Andersen
|
 |
 |
 |
|||
Name Fairy tales and stories
|
Name Fairy tales
|
Name おやゆび姫 : アンデルセン童話
|
It was freezing, it was snowing, and the street was getting darker and darker. It was just on New Year's Eve. In this cold and darkness, a poor girl with her head uncovered and barefoot made her way through the streets. True, she left the house wearing shoes, but what good were they? Huge, enormous! The girl's mother wore them last, and they flew off the little girl's feet when she ran across the street, frightened by two carriages rushing past. She never found one shoe, but some boy picked up the other and ran away with it, saying that it would make an excellent cradle for his children when he had them.
And so the girl wandered on barefoot; Her little feet were completely red and blue from the cold. In her old apron she had several packs of sulfur matches; She held one pack in her hand. For the whole day, no one bought a match from her - she didn’t earn a penny. Hungry, cold, she walked further and further... It was a pity to even look at the poor thing! Snow flakes fell on her beautiful, curly blond hair, but she did not think about this beauty. There were lights in all the windows, the streets smelled of roasted geese: it was New Year's Eve - that's what she was thinking about.
Finally, she sat down in a corner, behind the ledge of one of the houses, huddled and tucked her legs under herself in order to warm up at least a little. But no, it got even colder, and she didn’t dare return home, because she hadn’t sold a single match, hadn’t earned a penny - her father would kill her! And it’s not any warmer in their house! There's just a roof over your head, but the wind is still blowing through the entire home, despite the fact that all the cracks and holes are carefully plugged with straw and rags. Her little hands were completely numb. Oh! One tiny match could keep her warm! If only she dared to take at least one from the pack, scratch it against the wall and warm her fingers! Finally she pulled one out. Chirk! How it hissed and caught fire! The flame was so warm and clear, and when the girl covered it from the wind with a handful, it seemed to her that a candle was burning in front of her. It was a strange candle: it seemed to the girl that she was sitting in front of a large iron stove with shiny copper legs and doors. How gloriously the fire burned in her, how warm the baby became! She even stretched out her legs, but... the fire went out. The stove disappeared, leaving only the burnt end of a match in the girl’s hands.
So she struck another; the match caught fire, its flame fell directly on the wall, and the wall suddenly became transparent, like muslin. The girl saw the whole room, a table covered with a snow-white tablecloth and lined with expensive china, and on it a roast goose stuffed with prunes and apples. What a smell came from him! The best thing was that the goose suddenly jumped off the table and, as if he had a fork and knife in his back, ran waddling straight to the girl. Then the match went out, and in front of the girl there again stood one thick, cold wall.
She lit another match and found herself under a magnificent Christmas tree, much larger and more elegant than the one that the girl saw on Christmas Eve, looking through the window of the house of a rich merchant. The tree was burning with thousands of lights, and from the green branches the colorful pictures that she had seen before in shop windows looked out at the girl. The little one stretched out both hands to the tree, but the match went out, the lights began to rise higher and higher and turned into clear stars; one of them suddenly rolled across the sky, leaving a long trail of fire behind it.
- Someone is dying! - said the little one.
Her late grandmother, the only being in the world who loved her, told her: “When a star falls, someone’s soul goes to God.”
The girl struck a new match against the wall; a bright light illuminated the space, and in front of the little one stood, all surrounded by radiance, so clear, brilliant and at the same time so meek and affectionate, her grandmother.
- Grandmother! - the little one cried. - Take me with you! I know that you will leave as soon as the match goes out, you will leave like a warm stove, a wonderful roast goose and a big, glorious Christmas tree!
And she hastily struck all the remaining matches that were in her hands - she so wanted to hold on to her grandmother. And the matches flared up with such a bright flame that it became lighter than during the day. Never before has grandma been so beautiful, so majestic! She took the girl in her arms, and they flew together in radiance and brilliance high, high, to where there is no cold, no hunger, no fear: to God!
In the cold morning hour in the corner behind the house the girl with pink cheeks and a smile on her lips was still sitting, but dead. She froze on the last evening of the old year; the New Year's sun illuminated the small corpse. The girl was sitting with matches; one pack was almost completely burnt.
- She wanted to warm up, poor thing! - people said. But no one knew what she saw, in what splendor she ascended to heaven with her grandmother for the New Year’s joys!
It was freezing, snowing, and the street was getting darker and darker. It was just in the evening New Year. In this cold and darkness, a poor girl with her head uncovered and barefoot made her way through the streets. True, she left the house wearing shoes, but what good were they? Huge, enormous! The girl's mother was the last to wear them, and they flew off the little girl's feet when she ran across the street, frightened by two carriages rushing past. She never found one shoe, but some boy picked up the other and ran away with it, saying that it would make an excellent cradle for his children when he had them.
And so, the girl wandered on barefoot; Her little feet were completely red and blue from the cold. In her old apron she had several packs of sulfur matches; She held one pack in her hand. For the whole day no one bought a match from her; she didn't earn a penny. Hungry, cold, she walked further and further... It was a pity to even look at the poor thing! Snow flakes fell on her beautiful, curly, blond hair, but she didn’t even think about this beauty. There were lights shining in all the windows, the streets smelled of roast geese; Today, after all, was New Year's Eve - that's what she was thinking about.
Finally, she sat down in a corner, behind the ledge of one house, huddled and tucked her legs under herself in order to warm up at least a little. But no, it got even colder, and she didn’t dare return home: after all, she didn’t sell a single match, didn’t earn a penny - her father would kill her! And it’s not any warmer in their house! As soon as the roof is over your head, the wind is still blowing throughout the entire home, despite the fact that all the cracks and holes are carefully plugged with straw and rags. Her little hands were completely numb. Oh! one tiny match could keep her warm! If only she dared to take at least one from the pack, scratch it against the wall and warm her fingers! Finally, she pulled one out. Chirk! How it hissed and caught fire! The flame was so warm and clear, and when the girl covered it from the wind with a handful, it seemed to her that a candle was burning in front of her. It was a strange candle: it seemed to the girl that she was sitting in front of a large iron stove with shiny copper legs and doors. How gloriously the fire burned in her, how warm the baby became! She even stretched out her legs, but... the fire went out. The stove disappeared, leaving only the burnt end of a match in the girl’s hands.
So she struck another; the match caught fire, its flame fell directly on the wall, and the wall suddenly became transparent, like muslin. The girl saw the whole room, a table covered with a snow-white tablecloth and lined with expensive porcelain, and on it a roast goose stuffed with prunes and apples. What a smell came from him! The best thing was that the goose suddenly jumped off the table and, as if he had a fork and knife in his back, ran waddling straight to the girl. Then the match went out, and in front of the girl there again stood one thick, cold wall.
She lit another match and found herself under a magnificent tree, much larger and more elegant than the one the girl saw on Christmas Eve, looking through the window of the house of a rich merchant. The tree was burning with thousands of lights, and from the green branches the colorful pictures that she had seen before in shop windows looked out at the girl. The little one stretched out both hands to the tree, but the match went out, the lights began to rise higher and higher, and turned into clear stars; one of them suddenly rolled across the sky, leaving a long trail of fire behind it.
Look, someone is dying! - said the little one.
Her late grandmother, the only creature in the world who loved her, told her: “A star falls - someone’s soul goes to God.”
The girl struck a new match against the wall; a bright light illuminated the space, and in front of the little one stood, completely surrounded by radiance, so clear, brilliant, and at the same time so meek and affectionate, her grandmother.
Grandmother! - the little one cried: - Take me with you! I know that you will leave as soon as the match goes out, you will leave like a warm stove, a wonderful roast goose and a big, glorious Christmas tree!
And she hastily struck all the remaining matches that were in her hands - she so wanted to hold on to her grandmother. And the matches flared up with such a bright flame that it became lighter than during the day. Grandma has never been so beautiful, so majestic! She took the girl in her arms, and they flew together, in radiance and brilliance, high, high, where there is no cold, no hunger, no fear - to God!
In the cold morning, in the corner behind the house, the girl was still sitting with pink cheeks and a smile on her lips, but dead. She froze on the last evening of the old year; the New Year's sun illuminated the small corpse. The girl was sitting with matches; one pack was almost completely burnt.
She wanted to warm herself, poor thing! - people said.
But no one knew what she saw, in what splendor she ascended, together with her grandmother, to the New Year’s joys in heaven!
Illustrations: Vilhelm Pedersen