Matchless: A Christmas Story is a short story

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 by Gregory Maguire

Gregory Maguire

Gregory Maguire is an American writer. He is the author of the novels Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and many other novels for adults and children...

, published in 2009 although originally commissioned as a piece for National Public Radio in 2008. The story is a version of and expansion on "The Little Match Girl

The Little Match Girl

The Little Match Girl is a short story by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The story is about a dying child's dreams and hope, and was first published in 1845. It has been adapted to various media including animated film, and a television musical.-Plot summary:On a cold New Year’s...

" by Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...

.

Plot summary

The story focuses on Frederick, the "urchin" from Andersen's original story who took one of the Match Girl's slippers. Frederick is the son of a poor woman who works as a seamstress to clumsy royalty. Frederick takes the slipper to act as a boat for the spool people that populate the toy town he has created in secret in his attic. One year after the death of the Match Girl, Frederick nearly gets lost late at night but is guided safely home by some mysterious lights like the ones that the Match Girl saw during her own strange experience.

External links

• Matchless (full text and audio) at NPR.org