The wind whispered secrets through the snowy streets of a big city. It was a very, very cold evening, the kind where your breath puffs out like a little cloud. Bundled up in a thin shawl, a little girl named Hannah walked along, her bare feet turning pink from the frosty ground. She carried a small bundle of matches, hoping someone, anyone, would buy them.

"Matches? Fresh matches?" she called out, her voice small against the blustery wind. But everyone was hurrying home to warm fires and tasty dinners. No one seemed to notice little Hannah, or her matches. Her pockets were empty, and her tummy rumbled like a distant drum.

She found a little corner between two tall houses, a tiny space to hide from the biting wind. Her fingers were so stiff with cold, she could barely feel them. "Maybe," she thought, "if I light just one match, it will warm my hands a little."

Scratch! The match flared up with a bright, cheerful flame. As Hannah cupped her hands around it, she imagined she was sitting in front of a big, warm stove. Oh, how lovely and toasty it felt! The stove glowed with a friendly heat, and she stretched her feet towards it. But then, poof! The match went out, and the warm stove vanished. Hannah was left shivering in the cold, dark corner again.

She lit another match. Scratch! This time, the wall in front of her seemed to become clear, like a window. And through the window, she saw a wonderful dining room. A table was piled high with yummy food – a big, juicy roast chicken seemed to waddle right off the plate towards her! Her mouth watered. But then, poof! The match burned out, and the delicious feast disappeared. Only the cold, hard wall remained.

Hannah sighed and lit a third match. Scratch! Oh, this was the best yet! A beautiful Christmas tree stood before her, sparkling with thousands of twinkling candles and shiny ornaments. It was brighter than any stars she had ever seen. She reached out to touch a sparkling star, but poof! The match went out, and the candles on the tree seemed to rise higher and higher, until they really did look like stars in the night sky.

Then, as she lit another match, she saw a gentle, loving light. And in that light, the kindest, gentlest face smiled down at her. It was her dear Grandma, the only person who had always loved Hannah and been kind to her. Grandma looked so warm and happy.

"Grandma!" cried Hannah. "Oh, please take me with you! I know you'll go away when the match burns out, just like the warm stove, and the yummy food, and the beautiful Christmas tree!"

Afraid that her Grandma would disappear, Hannah quickly lit all the matches she had left, one after another. Whoosh! They made a blaze of light so bright it felt like daytime. In this wonderful glow, Grandma looked even more beautiful and loving.

Grandma's smile grew wider. She reached out her hand, and Hannah took it. Up, up, up they floated, into the starlit sky, where there was no cold, no hunger, only warmth and love.

The next morning, as the sun peeked over the snowy rooftops, people found little Hannah huddled in the corner. Her cheeks were rosy, and a sweet smile was on her face. She was holding the burnt-out matches. "Poor little thing," they said. "She must have been trying to keep warm."

They didn't know about the wonderful things she had seen, or how happy she was now with her Grandma, in a place where it was always warm and bright.

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