the tinder box

by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H .P .Paull (1872)

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 atower, 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 ashilling . 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 lady put on water boots, and ran after him as quickly as he_did, and found that he carried the princess into a large house . she thought it would help her to remember the place if she made a large cross on_the door with a piece of chalk . then she went home to bed, and_the dog presently returned with_the princess . but when he_saw that a cross had_been made on_the door of_the house, where the soldier lived, he_took another piece of chalk and made crosses on all the doors in_the town, so that_the lady- in-waiting might_not_be_able to_find out the right door .

early the next morning the king and queen accompanied the lady and all the officers of_the household, to_see where the princess had_been .

" here it_is," said the king, when_they came to_the first door with a cross on_it .

no, my dear husband, it must_be that one," said the queen, pointing to a second door having a cross also .

" and here_is one, and there_is another ! " they all exclaimed; for there were crosses on all the doors in every direction .

so they felt it would_be useless to search any farther . but the queen was a very clever woman; she_could do a great deal more than merely ride in a carriage . she took her large gold scissors, cut a piece of silk into squares, and made a neat little bag . this bag she filled with buckwheat flour, and tied it round the princess's neck; and then she cut a small hole in_the bag, so that_the flour might_be scattered on_the ground as_the princess went along . during the night, the dog came again and carried the princess on_his back, and ran with her to_the soldier, who loved her very_much, and wished that he had_been a prince, so_that he_might_have her for a wife . the dog did_not observe how the flour ran out_of_the bag all the way from_the castle wall to_the soldier's house, and even up_to_the window, where he had climbed with_the princess . therefore in_the morning the king and queen found out where their daughter had_been, and_the soldier was taken up and put in prison .Oh, how dark and disagreeable it_was as he sat there, and_the people said to him, " to- morrow you_will_be hanged ." it_was not very pleasant news, and besides, he had left the tinder- box at_the inn . in_the morning he could_see through_the iron grating of_the little window how the people were hastening out_of_the town to_see him hanged; he heard the drums beating, and saw the soldiers marching . every_one ran out to look at them . and a shoemaker's boy, with a leather apron and slippers on, galloped by so fast, that one of_his slippers flew off and struck against the wall where the soldier sat looking through_the iron grating ."Hallo, you shoemaker's boy, you need_not_be in_such a hurry," cried the soldier to him ." there_will_be nothing to_see till I come; but if_you_will run to_the house where I_have_been living, and bring me my tinder- box, you_shall_have four shillings, but you_must put your best foot foremost ."

the shoemaker's boy liked the idea of getting the four shillings, so he ran very fast and fetched the tinder- box, and gave it to_the soldier . and now we_shall see what happened . outside the town a large gibbet had_been erected, round which stood the soldiers and several thousands of people . the king and_the queen sat on splendid thrones opposite to_the judges and_the whole council . the soldier already stood on_the ladder; but as_they were about to_place the rope around his neck, he_said that an innocent request was often granted to a poor criminal before he suffered death . he_wished very_much to smoke a pipe, as it would_be the last pipe he_should ever smoke in_the_world . the king could_not refuse this request, so the soldier took his tinder- box, and struck fire, once, twice, thrice,- and there in a moment stood all the dogs;- the one with eyes as big as teacups, the one with eyes as large as mill-wheels, and_the third, whose eyes were like towers ." help me now, that I_may not be hanged," cried the soldier .

and_the dogs fell upon_the judges and all the councillors; seized one by_the legs, and another by_the nose, and tossed them many feet high in_the air, so that_they fell down and were dashed to pieces .

" i_will_not_be touched," said the king . but the largest dog seized him, as_well as_the queen, and threw them after_the others . then the soldiers and all the people were afraid, and cried, " good soldier, you shall be our king, and you shall marry the beautiful princess ."

so they placed the soldier in_the king's carriage, and_the three dogs ran on in front and cried "Hurrah ! " and_the little boys whistled through their fingers, and_the soldiers presented arms . the princess came out_of_the copper castle, and became queen, which_was very pleasing to her . the wedding festivities lasted a whole week, and_the dogs sat at_the table, and stared with all their eyes .

the end