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                     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

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