On a bitterly cold New Year's Eve, a little barefoot girl walked the snowy streets carrying a bundle of matches to sell. No one had bought a single box from her all day, and she was too afraid to go home without any money, so she sat down in a corner between two houses to rest from the cold.

Shivering, the girl decided to light just one match to warm her hands. The moment it flared up, she saw in its glow a large, warm stove, and she reached out toward it — but the light suddenly went out, and the stove vanished.

She lit another match, and in its light saw a table set with the most wonderful food. In a third match, she saw a glowing Christmas tree covered with candles and beautiful gifts. Each time, the light faded quickly, so she struck a new match to bring back that warmth and beauty, even if only for a moment.

With the last match she lit, her beloved grandmother appeared before her, smiling warmly and reaching out her hand. Overjoyed, the girl begged her not to disappear, and struck all her remaining matches at once so her grandmother would stay as long as possible. Gently, her grandmother lifted her up, carrying her to a warm place full of light and peace.

The next morning, passersby found the little girl sitting in the corner, quiet, with a gentle smile on her face, surrounded by burnt-out matches. They never knew of the beautiful dreams she had seen that cold night — but her story has been told to children ever since, reminding them to be kind to those around them.