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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　TINDER…BOX
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
A　SOLDIER　came　marching　along　the　high　road：　〃Left；　right…　left；
right。〃　He　had　his　knapsack　on　his　back；　and　a　sword　at　his　side；　he
had　been　to　the　wars；　and　was　now　returning　home。

As　he　walked　on；　he　met　a　very　frightful…looking　old　witch　in
the　road。　Her　under…lip　hung　quite　down　on　her　breast；　and　she　stopped　and　said；　〃Good　evening；　soldier；　you　have　a　very　fine　sword；　and　a　large　knapsack；　and　you　are　a　real　soldier；　so　you　shall　have　as　much　money　as　ever　you　like。〃

〃Thank　you；　old　witch；〃　said　the　soldier。

〃Do　you　see　that　large　tree；〃　said　the　witch；　pointing　to　a　tree
which　stood　beside　them。　〃Well；　it　is　quite　hollow　inside；　and　you
must　climb　to　the　top；　when　you　will　see　a　hole；　through　which　you　can　let　yourself　down　into　the　tree　to　a　great　depth。　I　will　tie　a　rope
round　your　body；　so　that　I　can　pull　you　up　again　when　you　call　out
to　me。〃

〃But　what　am　I　to　do；　down　there　in　the　tree？〃　asked　the　soldier。

〃Get　money；〃　she　replied；　〃for　you　must　know　that　when　you　reach
the　ground　under　the　tree；　you　will　find　yourself　in　a　large　hall；
lighted　up　by　three　hundred　lamps；　you　will　then　see　three　doors；
which　can　be　easily　opened；　for　the　keys　are　in　all　the　locks。　On
entering　the　first　of　the　chambers；　to　which　these　doors　lead；　you
will　see　a　large　chest；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and
upon　it　a　dog　seated；　with　a　pair　of　eyes　as　large　as　teacups。　But　you
need　not　be　at　all　afraid　of　him；　I　will　give　you　my　blue　checked
apron；　which　you　must　spread　upon　the　floor；　and　then　boldly　seize
hold　of　the　dog；　and　place　him　upon　it。　You　can　then　open　the　chest；
and　take　from　it　as　many　pence　as　you　please；　they　are　only　copper
pence；　but　if　you　would　rather　have　silver　money；　you　must　go　into　the　second　chamber。　Here　you　will　find　another　dog；　with　eyes　as　big　as　mill…wheels；　but　do　not　let　that　trouble　you。　Place　him　upon　my　apron；　and　then　take　what　money　you　please。　If；　however；　you　like　gold　best；　enter　the　third　chamber；　where　there　is　another　chest　full　of
it。　The　dog　who　sits　on　this　chest　is　very　dreadful；　his　eyes　are　as
big　as　a　tower；　but　do　not　mind　him。　If　he　also　is　placed　upon　my
apron；　he　cannot　hurt　you；　and　you　may　take　from　the　chest　what　gold　you　will。〃

〃This　is　not　a　bad　story；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃but　what　am　I　to
give　you；　you　old　witch？　for；　of　course；　you　do　not　mean　to　tell　me
all　this　for　nothing。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　witch；　〃but　I　do　not　ask　for　a　single　penny。　Only
promise　to　bring　me　an　old　tinder…box；　which　my　grandmother　left
behind　the　last　time　she　went　down　there。〃

〃Very　well；　I　promise。　Now　tie　the　rope　round　my　body。〃

〃Here　it　is；〃　replied　the　witch；　〃and　here　is　my　blue　checked
apron。〃

As　soon　as　the　rope　was　tied；　the　soldier　climbed　up　the　tree；　and
let　himself　down　through　the　hollow　to　the　ground　beneath；　and　here　he　found；　as　the　witch　had　told　him；　a　large　hall；　in　which　many
hundred　lamps　were　all　burning。　Then　he　opened　the　first　door。　〃Ah！〃
there　sat　the　dog；　with　the　eyes　as　large　as　teacups；　staring　at　him。

〃You're　a　pretty　fellow；〃　said　the　soldier；　seizing　him；　and
placing　him　on　the　witch's　apron；　while　he　filled　his　pockets　from　the
chest　with　as　many　pieces　as　they　would　hold。　Then　he　closed　the
lid；　seated　the　dog　upon　it　again；　and　walked　into　another　chamber；
And；　sure　enough；　there　sat　the　dog　with　eyes　as　big　as　mill…wheels。

〃You　had　better　not　look　at　me　in　that　way；〃　said　the　soldier；

〃you　will　make　your　eyes　water；〃　and　then　he　seated　him　also　upon
the　apron；　and　opened　the　chest。　But　when　he　saw　what　a　quantity　of
silver　money　it　contained；　he　very　quickly　threw　away　all　the
coppers　he　had　taken；　and　filled　his　pockets　and　his　knapsack　with
nothing　but　silver。

Then　he　went　into　the　third　room；　and　there　the　dog　was　really
hideous；　his　eyes　were；　truly；　as　big　as　towers；　and　they　turned　round
and　round　in　his　head　like　wheels。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　soldier；　touching　his　cap；　for　he　had
never　seen　such　a　dog　in　his　life。　But　after　looking　at　him　more
closely；　he　thought　he　had　been　civil　enough；　so　he　placed　him　on
the　floor；　and　opened　the　chest。　Good　gracious；　what　a　quantity　of
gold　there　was！　enough　to　buy　all　the　sugar…sticks　of　the
sweet…stuff　women；　all　the　tin　soldiers；　whips；　and　rocking…horses
in　the　world；　or　even　the　whole　town　itself　There　was；　indeed；　an
immense　quantity。　So　the　soldier　now　threw　away　all　the　silver　money
he　had　taken；　and　filled　his　pockets　and　his　knapsack　with　gold
instead；　and　not　only　his　pockets　and　his　knapsack；　but　even　his　cap
and　boots；　so　that　he　could　scarcely　walk。

He　was　really　rich　now；　so　he　replaced　the　dog　on　the　chest；
closed　the　door；　and　called　up　through　the　tree；　〃Now　pull　me　out；　you　old　witch。〃

〃Have　you　got　the　tinder…box？〃　asked　the　witch。

〃No；　I　declare　I　quite　forgot　it。〃　So　he　went　back　and　fetched　the
tinderbox；　and　then　the　witch　drew　him　up　out　of　the　tree；　and　he
stood　again　in　the　high　road；　with　his　pockets；　his　knapsack；　his　cap；
and　his　boots　full　of　gold。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　the　tinder…box？〃　asked　the　soldier。

〃That　is　nothing　to　you；〃　replied　the　witch；　〃you　have　the
money；　now　give　me　the　tinder…box。〃

〃I　tell　you　what；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃if　you　don't　tell　me　what
you　are　going　to　do　with　it；　I　will　draw　my　sword　and　cut　off　your
head。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　witch。

The　soldier　immediately　cut　off　her　head；　and　there　she　lay　on　the
ground。　Then　he　tied　up　all　his　money　in　her　apron。　and　slung　it　on
his　back　like　a　bundle；　put　the　tinderbox　in　his　pocket；　and　walked
off　to　the　nearest　town。　It　was　a　very　nice　town；　and　he　put　up　at　the
best　inn；　and　ordered　a　dinner　of　all　his　favorite　dishes；　for　now
he　was　rich　and　had　plenty　of　money。

The　servant；　who　cleaned　his　boots；　thought　they　certainly　were
a　shabby　pair　to　be　worn　by　such　a　rich　gentleman；　for　he　had　not
yet　bought　any　new　ones。　The　next　day；　however；　he　procured　some
good　clothes　and　proper　boots；　so　that　our　soldier　soon　became　known　as　a　fine　gentleman；　and　the　people　visited　him；　and　told　him　all　the　wonders　that　were　to　be　seen　in　the　town；　and　of　the　king's
beautiful　daughter；　the　princess。

〃Where　can　I　see　her？〃　asked　the　soldier。

〃She　is　not　to　be　seen　at　all；〃　they　said；　〃she　lives　in　a　large
copper　castle；　surrounded　by　walls　and　towers。　No　one　but　the　king
himself　can　pass　in　or　out；　for　there　has　been　a　prophecy　that　she
will　marry　a　common　soldier；　and　the　king　cannot　bear　to　think　of　such　a　marriage。〃

〃I　should　like　very　much　to　see　her；〃　thought　the　soldier；　but
he　could　not　obtain　permission　to　do　so。　However；　he　passed　a　very
pleasant　time；　went　to　the　theatre；　drove　in　the　king's　garden；　and
gave　a　great　deal　of　money　to　the　poor；　which　was　very　good　of　him；　he　remembered　what　it　had　been　in　olden　times　to　be　without　a　shilling。

Now　he　was　rich；　had　fine　clothes；　and　many　friends；　who　all
declared　he　was　a　fine　fellow　and　a　real　gentleman；　and　all　this
gratified　him　exceedingly。　But　his　money　would　not　last　forever；　and
as　he　spent　and　gave　away　a　great　deal　daily；　and　received　none；　he
found　himself　at　last　with　only　two　shillings　left。　So　he　was
obliged　to　leave　his　elegant　rooms；　and　live　in　a　little　garret
under　the　roof；　where　he　had　to　clean　his　own　boots；　and　even　mend
them　with　a　large　needle。　None　of　his　friends　came　to　see　him；　there
were　too　many　stairs　to　mount　up。　One　dark　evening；　he　had　not　even
a　penny　to　buy　a　candle；　then　all　at　once　he　remembered　that　there　was　a　piece　of　candle　stuck　in　the　tinder…box；　which　he　had　brought　from　the　old　tree；　into　which　the　witch　had　helped　him。

He　found　the　tinder…box；　but　no　sooner　had　he　struck　a　few
sparks　from　the　flint　and　steel；　than　the　door　flew　open　and　the　dog
with　eyes　as　big　as　teacups；　whom　he　had　seen　while　down　in　the
tree；　stood　before　him；　and　said；　〃What　orders；　master？〃

〃Hallo；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃well　this　is　a　pleasant　tinderbox；
if　it　brings　me　all　I　wish　for。〃

〃Bring　me　some　money；〃　said　he　to　the　dog。
He　was　gone　in　a　moment；　and　presently　returned；　carrying　a
large　bag　of　coppers　in　his　month。　The　soldier　very　soon　discovered
after　this　the　value　of　the　tinder…box。　If　he　struck　the　flint　once；
the　dog　who　sat　on　the　chest　of　copper　money　made　his　appearance；　if　twice；　the　dog　came　from　the　chest　of　silver；　and　if　three　times；
the　dog　with　eyes　like　towers；　who　watched　over　the　gold。　The
soldier　had　now　plenty　of　money；　he　returned　to　his　elegant　rooms；　and　reappeared　in　his　fine　clothes；　so　that　his　friends　knew　him　again
directly；　and　made　as　much　of　him　as　before。

After　a　while　he　began　to　think　it　was　very　strange　that　no　one
could　get　a　look　at　the　princess。　〃Every　one　says　she　is　very
beautiful；〃　thought　he　to　himself；　〃but　what　is　the　use　of　that　if　she
is　to　be　shut　up　in　a　copper　castle　surrounded　by　so　many　towers。
Can　I　by　any　means　get　to　see　her。　Stop！　where　is　my　tinder…box？〃　Then　he　struck　a　light；　and　in　a　moment　the　dog；　with　eyes　as　big　as
teacups；　stood　before　him。

〃It　is　midnight；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃yet　I　should　very　much　like
to　see　the　princess；　if　only　for　a　moment。〃

The　dog　disappeared　instantly；　and　before　the　soldier　could　even
look　round；　he　returned　with　the　princess。　She　was　lying　on　the
dog's　back　asleep；　and　looked　so　lovely；　that　every　one　who　saw　her
would　know　she　was　a　real　princess。　The　soldier　could　not　help　kissing　her；　true　soldier　as　he　was。　Then　the　dog　ran　back　with　the
princess；　but　in　the　morning；　while　at　breakfast　with　the　king　and
queen；　she　told　them　what　a　singular　dream　she　had　had　during　the
night；　of　a　dog　and　a　soldier；　that　she　had　ridden　on　the　dog's
back；　and　been　kissed　by　the　soldier。

〃That　is　a　very　pretty　story；　indeed；〃　said　the　queen。　So　the　next
night　one　of　the　old　ladies　of　the　court　was　set　to　watch　by　the
princess's　bed；　to　discover　whether　it　really　was　a　dream；　or　what
else　it　might　be。

The　soldier　longed　very　much　to　see　the　princess　once　more；　so
he　sent　for　the　dog　again　in　the　night　to　fetch　her；　and　to　run　with
her　as　fast　as　ever　he　could。　But　the　old　l