The Little Match Girl

(Click to go to Hans Christian Andersen's original prose)

A little girl,
Was cold as could be;
For it was winter then,

On New Year's Eve. -4

Seated on the street,
Barefooted was she;
Matchboxes in apron,
And nothing to eat. -8

So cold was she,
Feet purple and blue;
To gain a farthing,
Was all she knew. -12

But no one came,
No one stopped;
Not a single matchbox,
That day was bought. -16

How weary she felt,
But she had no money;
And she couldn't go home,
Till she made any. -20

The little girl's hands,
Were numb with cold;
She thought of the matches,
That were to be sold. -24

She decided to light one,
Warmth she did need;
T'was struck on the wall,
And how warm she did feel. -28

It seemed to her,
That there was more;
Of burnished brass,
A very warm stove. -32

She put out her hands,
That they may be warmed;
But before she knew it,
The stove was gone. -36

So she struck another,
Against the wall;
The previous flame,
Seemed so small. -40

Something new she saw,
How candles did gleam;
There was roast goose,
Cake and ice-cream. -44

The roast goose got up,
Lept toward her it seemed;
Then the image faded,
As it would in a dream. -48

So she lit another,
And what did she see?!
She was under the most,
Magnificent Christmas tree. -52

Pretty lights shone,
On the branches of green;
As in the shop windows,
She had before seen. -56

She stretched to feel,
But the match went out;
The Christmas lights rose,
Into the sky above. -60

And now she saw the lights,
As the stars in heaven;
One fell and left behind,
A trail of fire therein. -64

"Someone is just dead!"
The girl did discern.
This from her grandmother,
She did learn. -68

Her grandmother told her,
That when a star falls;
It is to God,
That a soul is called. -72

Only her grandmother,
Had ever truly loved her.
But she was no more,
So she had no other. -76

Another match was lit,
And in the light's lustre;
Stood no other than,
The girl's grandmother. -80

"Grandmother!", cried she,
"Oh, take me with you!"
What if she vanished too?
And that just wouldn't do. -84

She lit another match,
And another and another;
So she wouldn't lose sight,
Of her dear old grandmother. -88

But the grandmother stayed,
So beautiful and tall;
Pain and suffering,
The girl had forgotten all. -92

In grandmother's arms,
The little girl lay;
And there she was,
To forever stay. -96

And when dawn arrived,
The people had said,
"She wanted to warm herself,
But now she is dead." -100

The matches remained
With her on the ground;
Happiness and joy,
In the new year she found. -104

I WIsh I Were an Owl

I wish I were an owl;

Fly by night I could
Beneath the moon and stars,
Through the woody-wood. -4

With pretty shiny eyes,
Shining yellow and bright.
And tiny little ears;
To hear the mice at night. -8

I'd have pretty little feathers;
Warm and brown they'd be,
I'd ruffle them at once,
If a chill I were to feel. -12

As the darkness falls,
Out of my tree I'll be;
A little hole in the bark,
Carved out just for me. -16

I'd sit up on a branch,
When the moon is out;
And with the other owls,
Hoot the night throughout. -20

And when the dawn does break,
I believe it's time to sleep;
And when the stars come shine again,
A-hooting I will be. -24

Pewter Soldier

My pewter soldier,

Stands by my bed;
Remains perfectly still,
Just above my head. -4

He watches my window,
He watches all night;
Never once taking me
Out of his sight. -8

His eyes are bright;
Wide and alert.
His post as my watcher;
They do assert. -12

He's ever too quiet,
The poor old thing;
I really do wish,
He'd talk and sing. -16

So still he remains,
By night, by day.
Nothing to do;
Nothing to say. -20

If only he'd tell,
His learnings of life;
His stories of love,
Of war and strife. -24

If only he'd choose,
To have himself heard;
I'd listen intently,
To his every word. -28

But decided is he;
So, silent he'll be.
My pewter soldier,
Watching over me. -32