英文版

wasdreadfullycold,itwassnowingfast,andalmostdark；theevening----thelasteveningoftheoldyearwasdrawingin.But,coldanddarkasitwas,apoorlittlegirl,withbareheadandfeet,wasstillwanderingaboutthestreets.

Whensheleftherhomeshehadslipperson,buttheyweremuchtoolargeforher；indeed,properly,theybelongedtohermother,andhaddroppedoffherfeetwhilstshewasrunningveryfastacrosstheroad,togetoutofthewayoftwocarriages.Oneoftheslipperswasnottobefound,theotherhadbeensnatchedupbyalittleboy,whoranoffwithitthinkingitmightservehimasadoll'scradle.

Sothelittlegirlnowwalkedon,herbarefeetquiteredandbluewiththecold.Shecarriedasmallbundleofmatchesinherhand,andagoodmanymoreinhertatteredapron.Noonehadboughtanyofthemthelivelongday；noonehadgivenherasinglepenny.

Tremblingwithcoldandhungercreptsheon,thepictureofsorrow:poorlittlechildThesnow-flakesfellonherlong,fairhair,whichcurledinsuchprettyringletsoverhershoulders；butshethoughtnotofherownbeauty,orofthecold.

Lightswereglimmeringthrougheverywindow,andthesavorofroastgoosereachedherfromseveralhouses；itwasNewYear'seve,anditwasofthisthatshethought.

Inacornerformedbytwohouses,oneofwhichprojectedbeyondtheother.Shesatdown,drawingherlittlefeetcloseunderher,butinvain,shecouldnotwarmthem.

Shedarednotgohome,shehadsoldnomatches,earnednotasinglepenny,andperhapsherfatherwouldbeather，besidesherhomewasalmostascoldasthestreet，itwasanattic；andalthoughthelargerofthemanychinksintheroofwerestoppedupwithstrawandrags.

thewindandsnowoftenpenetratedthrough.Herhandswerenearlydeadwithcold；onelittlematchfromherbundlewouldwarmthem.Perhaps,ifshedaredlightit,shedrewoneout,andstruckitagainstthewall,bravo!

itwasabright,warmflame,andsheheldherhandsoverit.Itwasquiteanilluminationforthatpoorlittlegirl；nay,1callitratheramagictaper,foritseemedtoherasthoughshewassittingbeforealargeiron-stovewithbrassornaments,sobeautifullyblazedthefirewithin!

Thechildstretchedoutherfeettowarmthemalso；alas,inaninstanttheflamehaddiedaway,thestovevanished,thelittlegirlsatcoldandcomfortless,withtheburntmatchinherhand.

Asecondmatchwasstruckagainstthewall；itkindlesandblazed,andwhereveritslightfellthewallbecametransparentasaveil.Thelittlegirlcouldseeintotheroomwithin.

Shesawthetablespreadwithasnow-whitedamaskcloth,whereonwererangedshiningchina-dishes；theroastgoosestuffedwithapplesanddriedplumsstoodatoneend,smokinghot,andwhichwaspleasantestofalltosee；thegoose,withknifeandforkstillinherbreast,jumpeddownfromthedish,andwaddledalongthefloorrightuptothepoorchild.Thematchwasburntout,andonlythethick,hardwallwasbesideher.