Introduction
“The Little Match Girl” is
a famous tale by Hans Christian Andersen, adapted here for French learners at the B1 level. This Christmas story tells the touching tale of a poor little girl who tries to find a bit of warmth and happiness on a freezing night. Through this easy-to-read French story, discover a narrative that explores poverty, hope, and the importance of solidarity.
The Tale: The Little Match Girl
A freezing night and a lonely little girl
It was very cold that night, and the snow covered the streets. It was New Year’s Eve, a time when French families gather to share a large meal. But a poor little girl was walking alone through the dark streets.
She wore an old, worn-out dress and had no shoes. Her bare feet were red and frozen from the cold. She held a box of matches that she hoped to sell.
“Buy some matches, please!” she said to the passersby. But people were in a hurry to get home and didn’t pay attention to her. The little girl hadn’t sold anything and hadn’t eaten all day.
The first visions
Tired and freezing, she found a corner between two houses and sat down. She thought, “If I light a match, I might warm up a little.”
She struck her first match, and a small flame appeared. In its light, she imagined a large, warm stove. She stretched out her hands to warm them, but the flame went out, and the stove disappeared.
She lit a second match. This time, she imagined a large festive table with a roasted goose and sautéed apples. She could almost smell the delicious meal. But the flame went out again, and everything disappeared.
The Christmas tree and the shooting star
The little girl struck a third match. She then saw a magnificent Christmas tree. It sparkled with a thousand colors, with candles and decorations. She reached out to grab one of the candles, but the tree disappeared and rose into the sky.
Looking up, she saw a shooting star. Her grandmother had once told her, “When a star falls, a soul rises to heaven.” She thought of her grandmother and felt warmth in her heart.
Meeting her grandmother
The little girl lit another match. This time, her grandmother appeared, kind and smiling. She cried, “Grandmother, take me with you!”
To stay with her, the little girl struck all the matches in the box. An intense light illuminated the night, and her grandmother took her in her arms. Together, they ascended to a place where there was no more cold, hunger, or sadness.
The next morning
The next morning, passersby found the little girl in the street. She had frozen to death, but she was smiling. The people didn’t know that she had spent her final night in a comforting dream, surrounded by warmth and love with her grandmother.
Conclusion
“The Little Match Girl” is a story that deeply moves us, especially during
Christmas, a time of sharing and generosity. The contrast between joyful festivities and the little girl’s loneliness makes the tale even more emotional. Written in the 19th century by Hans Christian Andersen, this story reflects the hardships of life at that time, when many poor children had to work or beg to survive. In France, writers like Victor Hugo, with Les Misérables, also spoke about social inequalities, placing this story within a great European literary tradition that raises awareness of injustice.