’Howcanonegettoseeher？’askedtheSoldier。
’Sheisnevertobeseenatall！’theytoldhim；’shelivesinagreatcoppercastle，surroundedbymanywallsandtowers！NooneexcepttheKingmaygoinorout，foritisprophesiedthatshewillmarryacommonsoldier，andtheKingcannotsubmittothat。’
’Ishouldverymuchliketoseeher，’thoughttheSoldier；buthecouldnotgetpermission。
Nowhelivedverygaily，wenttothetheatre，droveintheKing’sgarden，andgavethepooragreatdealofmoney，whichwasveryniceofhim；hehadexperiencedinformertimeshowharditisnottohaveafarthingintheworld。Nowhewasrich，worefineclothes，andmademanyfriends，whoallsaidthathewasanexcellentman，arealnobleman。AndtheSoldierlikedthat。Butashewasalwaysspendingmoney，andnevermadeanymore，atlastthedaycamewhenhehadnothingleftbuttwoshillings，andhehadtoleavethebeautifulroomsinwhichhehadbeenliving，andgointoalittleatticundertheroof，andcleanhisownboots，andmendthemwithadarning-needle。Noneofhisfriendscametovisithimthere，forthereweretoomanystairstoclimb。
Itwasadarkevening，andhecouldnotevenbuyalight。Butallatonceitflashedacrosshimthattherewasalittleendoftinderinthetinder-box，whichhehadtakenfromthehollowtreeintowhichtheWitchhadhelpedhimdown。Hefoundtheboxwiththetinderinit；butjustashewaskindlingalight，andhadstruckasparkoutofthetinder-box，thedoorburstopen，andthedogwitheyesaslargeassaucers，whichhehadseendowninthetree，stoodbeforehimandsaid:
’Whatdoesmylordcommand？’
’What’sthemeaningofthis？’exclaimedtheSoldier。’Thisisaprettykindoftinder-box，ifIcangetwhateverIwantlikethis。Getmemoney！’hecriedtothedog，andhey，presto！hewasoffandbackagain，holdingagreatpursefullofmoneyinhismouth。
NowtheSoldierknewwhatacapitaltinder-boxthiswas。Ifherubbedonce，thedogthatsatonthechestofcopperappeared；ifherubbedtwice，therecamethedogthatwatchedoverthesilverchest；andifherubbedthreetimes，theonethatguardedthegoldappeared。Now，theSoldierwentdownagaintohisbeautifulrooms，andappearedoncemoreinsplendidclothes。Allhisfriendsimmediatelyrecognisedhimagain，andpaidhimgreatcourt。
Onedayhethoughttohimself:’ItisverystrangethatnoonecangettoseethePrincess。Theyallsaysheisverypretty，butwhat’stheuseofthatifshehastositforeverinthegreatcoppercastlewithallthetowers？CanInotmanagetoseehersomehow？Whereismytinder-box？’andsohestruckaspark，and，presto！therecamethedogwitheyesaslargeassaucers。
’Itisthemiddleofthenight，Iknow，’saidtheSoldier；’butI
shouldverymuchliketoseethePrincessforamoment。’
Thedogwasalreadyoutsidethedoor，andbeforetheSoldiercouldlookround，inhecamewiththePrincess。Shewaslyingasleeponthedog’sback，andwassobeautifulthatanyonecouldseeshewasarealPrincess。TheSoldierreallycouldnotrefrainfromkissingher——hewassuchathoroughSoldier。ThenthedogranbackwiththePrincess。Butwhenitwasmorning，andtheKingandQueenweredrinkingtea，thePrincesssaidthatthenightbeforeshehadhadsuchastrangedreamaboutadogandaSoldier:shehadriddenonthedog’sback，andtheSoldierhadkissedher。
’Thatiscertainlyafinestory，’saidtheQueen。Butthenextnightoneoftheladies-in-waitingwastowatchatthePrincess’sbed，toseeifitwasonlyadream，orifithadactuallyhappened。
TheSoldierhadanoverpoweringlongingtoseethePrincessagain，andsothedogcameinthemiddleofthenightandfetchedher，runningasfastashecould。Butthelady-in-waitingslippedonindiarubbershoesandfollowedthem。Whenshesawthemdisappearintoalargehouse，shethoughttoherself:’NowI
knowwhereitis；’andmadeagreatcrossonthedoorwithapieceofchalk。Thenshewenthomeandlaydown，andthedogcamebackalso，withthePrincess。ButwhenhesawthatacrosshadbeenmadeonthedoorofthehousewheretheSoldierlived，hetookapieceofchalkalso，andmadecrossesonallthedoorsinthetown；andthatwasveryclever，fornowthelady-in-waitingcouldnotfindtherighthouse，astherewerecrossesonallthedoors。
EarlynextmorningtheKing，Queen，ladies-in-waiting，andofficerscameouttoseewherethePrincesshadbeen。
’Thereitis！’saidtheKing，whenhesawthefirstdoorwithacrossonit。
’No，thereitis，mydear！’saidtheQueen，whenshelikewisesawadoorwithacross。
’Buthereisone，andthereisanother！’theyallexclaimed；
wherevertheylookedtherewasacrossonthedoor。Thentheyrealisedthatthesignwouldnothelpthematall。
ButtheQueenwasanextremelycleverwoman，whocoulddoagreatdealmorethanjustdriveinacoach。Shetookhergreatgoldenscissors，cutupapieceofsilk，andmadeaprettylittlebagofit。Thisshefilledwiththefinestbuckwheatgrains，andtieditroundthePrincess’neck；thisdone，shecutalittleholeinthebag，sothatthegrainswouldstrewthewholeroadwhereverthePrincesswent。
Inthenightthedogcameagain，tookthePrincessonhisbackandranawaywithhertotheSoldier，whowasverymuchinlovewithher，andwouldhavelikedtohavebeenaPrince，sothathemighthavehadherforhiswife。
ThedogdidnotnoticehowthegrainswerestrewnrightfromthecastletotheSoldier’swindow，whereheranupthewallwiththePrincess。
InthemorningtheKingandtheQueensawplainlywheretheirdaughterhadbeen，andtheytooktheSoldierandputhimintoprison。
Therehesat。Oh，howdarkanddullitwasthere！Andtheytoldhim:’To-morrowyouaretobehanged。’Hearingthatdidnotexactlycheerhim，andhehadlefthistinder-boxintheinn。
Nextmorninghecouldseethroughtheirongratinginfrontofhislittlewindowhowthepeoplewerehurryingoutofthetowntoseehimhanged。Heheardthedrumsandsawthesoldiersmarching；allthepeoplewererunningtoandfro。Justbelowhiswindowwasashoemaker’sapprentice，withleatherapronandshoes；hewasskippingalongsomerrilythatoneofhisshoesflewoffandfellagainstthewall，justwheretheSoldierwassittingpeepingthroughtheirongrating。
’Oh，shoemaker’sboy，youneedn’tbeinsuchahurry！’saidtheSoldiertohim。’There’snothinggoingontillIarrive。ButifyouwillrunbacktothehousewhereIlived，andfetchmemytinder-box，Iwillgiveyoufourshillings。Butyoumustputyourbestfootforemost。’
Theshoemaker’sboywasverywillingtoearnfourshillings，andfetchedthetinder-box，gaveittotheSoldier，and——yes——nowyoushallhear。
Outsidethetownagreatscaffoldhadbeenerected，andallroundwerestandingthesoldiers，andhundredsofthousandsofpeople。
TheKingandQueenweresittingonamagnificentthroneoppositethejudgesandthewholecouncil。
TheSoldierwasalreadystandingonthetopoftheladder；butwhentheywantedtoputtheroperoundhisneck，hesaidthatthefulfilmentofoneinnocentrequestwasalwaysgrantedtoapoorcriminalbeforeheunderwenthispunishment。Hewouldsomuchliketosmokeasmallpipeoftobacco；itwouldbehislastpipeinthisworld。
TheKingcouldnotrefusehimthis，andsohetookouthistinder-box，andrubbeditonce，twice，threetimes。Andlo，andbeholdItherestoodallthreedogs——theonewitheyesaslargeassaucers，thesecondwitheyesaslargeasmill-wheels，andthethirdwitheyeseachaslargeastheRoundTowerofCopenhagen。
’Helpmenow，sothatImaynotbehanged！’criedtheSoldier。
Andthereuponthedogsfelluponthejudgesandthewholecouncil，seizedsomebythelegs，othersbythenose，andthrewthemsohighintotheairthattheyfellandweresmashedintopieces。
’Iwon’tstandthis！’saidtheKing；butthelargestdogseizedhimtoo，andtheQueenaswell，andthrewthemupaftertheothers。Thisfrightenedthesoldiers，andallthepeoplecried:
’GoodSoldier，youshallbeourKing，andmarrythebeautifulPrincess！’
ThentheyputtheSoldierintotheKing’scoach，andthethreedogsdancedinfront，crying’Hurrah！’Andtheboyswhistledandthesoldierspresentedarms。
ThePrincesscameoutofthecoppercastle，andbecameQueen；andthatpleasedherverymuch。
Theweddingfestivitieslastedforeightdays，andthedogssatattableandmadeeyesateveryone。
FromtheIcelandic。
TherewereonceaKingandaQueen，andtheyhadasoncalledSigurd，whowasverystrongandactive，andgood-looking。WhentheKingcametobeboweddownwiththeweightofyearshespoketohisson，andsaidthatnowitwastimeforhimtolookoutforafittingmatchforhimself，forhedidnotknowhowlonghemightlastnow，andhewouldliketoseehimmarriedbeforehedied。
Sigurdwasnotaversetothis，andaskedhisfatherwherehethoughtitbesttolookforawife。TheKingansweredthatinacertaincountrytherewasaKingwhohadabeautifuldaughter，andhethoughtitwouldbemostdesirableifSigurdcouldgether。Sothetwoparted，andSigurdpreparedforthejourney，andwenttowherehisfatherhaddirectedhim。
HecametotheKingandaskedhisdaughter’shand，whichhereadilygrantedhim，butonlyontheconditionthatheshouldremainthereaslongashecould，fortheKinghimselfwasnotstrongandnotveryabletogovernhiskingdom。Sigurdacceptedthiscondition，butaddedthathewouldhavetogetleavetogohomeagaintohisowncountrywhenheheardnewsofhisfather’sdeath。AfterthatSigurdmarriedthePrincess，andhelpedhisfather-in-lawtogovernthekingdom。HeandthePrincesslovedeachotherdearly，andafterayearasoncametothem，whowastwoyearsoldwhenwordcametoSigurdthathisfatherwasdead。
Sigurdnowpreparedtoreturnhomewithhiswifeandchild，andwentonboardshiptogobysea。
Theyhadsailedforseveraldays，whenthebreezesuddenlyfell，andtherecameadeadcalm，atatimewhentheyneededonlyoneday’svoyagetoreachhome。SigurdandhisQueenwereonedayondeck，whenmostoftheothersontheshiphadfallenasleep。
