A Little Match Girl

Once upon a time, a little girl tried to make a living by selling matches in the street.

　The snow-clad streets were deserted(v. 放弃,遗弃). The tinkle of laughter and the sound of singing came from brightly lit windows. But the poor little match seller sat sadly beside the fountain(n. 喷泉). Her ragged dress and worn shawl did not keep out the cold. She hadn't sold one box of matches all day . She was frightened to go home. Because her father would certainly be angry.

　The little girl's fingers were stiff(a. 坚硬的,严厉的,呆板的) with cold. She wanted to lit a match! But her father would say: “It was too waste!”Falteringly(ad. 口吃地, 支吾地) she took out a match and lit it. What a nice warm flame! The little match seller cupped her hand over it. When she did so, she magically sawt a big brightly burning stove.

　She held out her hands to the heat. But just then the match went out. And the vision faded. The night seemed darker than before. And it was getting colder.

　After hesitating(v. 犹豫) for a long time, she struck(v. 划燃) another match on the wall. This time, the glimmer turned the wall into a great sheet of crystal(n. 水晶). Beyond that there was a fine table. The table was laden with food and lit by a candlestick. The little match seller held out her arms towards the plates. She seemed to pass through the glass. But then, the match went out and the magic faded.

　She lit the third match. An even more wonderful thing happened. There stood a Christmas tree. Hundreds of candles hung on it. Tinsel(n. 闪亮的金属片) and colored balls also hung on it. "Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed the little match seller. Then, the match burned her finger and flickered out(摇摇曳曳地熄灭).

　The little match seller was scarcely aware of what she was doing. She lit another match. This time, she saw her grandmother. "Granny, stay with me!" she pleaded(v. 辩护,恳求). She lit one match after the other. So that her grandmother would not disappear like all the other visions.

　However, Granny did not vanish(v. 消失), but gazed smilingly at her. Then she opened her arms and hugged her crying: "Granny, take me away with you!" A cold day dawned. A pale sun shone on the fountain and the icy road. Around the lifeless body of a little girl, there were a lot of spent matches. "Poor little thing!" exclaimed the passersby. "She was trying to keep warm!" But by that time, the little match seller was far away. She went to a place. There, there is neither cold, nor hunger, nor pain.