THERE was once a big wax－candle which knew itsown importance quite well．
"I am born of wax and moulded in a shape，"it said；"I give better light and burn longer than other candles；myplace is in a chandelier or on a silver candlestick！"
"That must be a lovely existence！"said the tallow－candle．"I am only made of tallow，but I comfort myselfwith the thought that it is always a little better than being afarthing dip：that is only dipped twice，and I am dippedeight times to get my proper thickness．I am content！it iscertainly finer and more fortunate to be born of wax insteadof tallow，but one does not settle one's own place in thisworld．You are placed in the big room in the glass chande－lier，I remain in the kitchen，but that is also a good place，from there the whole house gets its food．"
"But there is something which is more important thanfood，"said the wax－candle．"Society！to see it shine，andto shine oneself！There is a ball this evening，and soon Iand all my family will be fetched．"
Scarcely was the word spoken，when all the wax-can-dles were fetched，but the tallow-candle also went withthem．The lady herself took it in her dainty hand，and car－ried it out to the kitchen：a little boy stood there with abasket，which was filled with potatoes；two or three applesalso found their way there．The good lady gave all this tothe poor boy．
"There is a candle for you as well，my little friend，"said she．"Your mother sits and works till late in thenight；she can use it！"
The little daughter of the house stood close by，andwhen she heard the words"late in the night"，she said withgreat delight，"I also shall stay up till late in the night！We shall have a ball，and I shall wear my big red sash！"
How her face shone！that was with joy！No wax can－dle can shine like two childish eyes！
"That is a blessing to see，"thought the tallow－can－dle；"I shall never forget it，and I shall certainly neversee it again．"
And so it was laid in the basket，under the lid，andthe boy went away with it．
"Where shall I go now？"thought the candle；"Ishall go to poor people，and perhaps not even get a brasscandlestick，while the wax－candle sits in silver and seesall the grand people．How lovely it must be to shine forthe grand people！but it was my lot to be tallow and notwax！
And so the candle came to poor people，a widowwith three children，in a little，low room，right oppositethe rich house．
"God bless the good lady for her gifts，"said themother，"what a lovely candle that is！it can burn till latein the night"
And then the candle was lighted．
"Fut，foi，"it said，"what a horrid-smelling matchthat was she lighted me with！the wax-candle over in therich house would not have such treatment offered to it．"
There also the candles were lighted：they shone outacross the street；the carriages rolled up with the elegantball－guests and the music played．
"Now they begin across there，"the tallow－candlenoticed，and thought of the beaming face of the rich littlegirl，more sparking than all the wax－lights．"That sight Ishall never see again！"
Then the smallest of the children in the poor house，a little girl，came and took her brother and sister roundthe neck：she had something very important to tell them，and it must be whispered．"Tonight we shall have—justthink！—Tonight we shall have hot potatoes！"
And her face shone with happiness：the tallow－can－dle shone right into it，and it saw a gladness，a happinessas great as over in the rich house，where the little girlsaid，"We shall have a ball tonight，and I shall wear mybig red sash！"
"It is just as much to get hot potatoes，"thoughtthe candle．"Here there is just as much joy amongstthe children．"And it sneezed at that；that is to say，itsputtered；a tallow－candle can do no more．
The table was laid，and the potatoes eaten．Oh，howgood they tasted！it was a perfect feast，and each one gotan apple besides，and the smallest child said the littleverse：
"Thou good God，I give thanks to Thee That Thou again hast nourished me．
Amen！
"Was that not nicely said，Mother？"broke out thelittle one．
"You must not ask that again，"said the mother；"you must think only of the good God who has fed you．"
The little ones went to bed，got a kiss and fell asleepat once，and the mother sat and sewed late into the night toget the means of support for them and for herself．And overfrom the big house the lights shone and the music sounded．The stars shone over all the houses，over the rich and overthe poor，equally clear and blessed．
"This has really been a delightful evening！"thoughtthe tallow－candle．"I wonder if the wax－candles had it anybetter in the silver candlestick？I would like to know thatbefore I am burned out．"
And it thought of the two happy ones，the one lightedby the wax－candle，and the other by the tallow－candle．
Yes，that is the whole story！
烛
从前有一支粗蜡烛。它知道自己的价值。
“我是用蜡造出来的，”它说。“我能发出强烈的光，而且燃烧的时间也比别的蜡烛长。我应该插在枝形烛架上或银烛台上！”
“这种生活一定很可爱！”牛油烛说。“我不过是牛油做的一种普通烛，但我常常安慰自己，觉得我总比一枚铜板买来的那种小烛要好些：这种烛只浇了两次蜡，而我却浇了八次才能有这样粗，我感到很满意！当然，出身于蜡是比出身于牛油要好得多，幸运得多，不过一个人在这世界上的地位并不是自己可以主动选择的。你是放在大厅的玻璃枝形烛台上，而我却待在厨房里——不过这也是一个很好的地方，因为全家的饭食就是在这儿做出来的！
“不过还有一件东西比饭食更重要，”蜡烛说。“社交！请看看社交的光辉和你自己在社交中射出来的光辉吧！今晚有一个舞会，不久我就要和我整个家族去参加了。”
这话刚刚一说完，所有的蜡烛就都被拿走了，这支牛油烛也一同被拿走了。太太用她细嫩的手亲自拿着它，把它带到厨房里去。这儿有一个小小的孩子提着满满一篮土豆，里面还有两三个苹果，这些东西都是这位好太太送给这个穷孩子的。
“我的小朋友，还有一支蜡烛送给你，”她说，“你的妈妈坐着工作到夜深，这对她有用！”
这家的小女儿正站在旁边。当她听到“到夜深”这几个字的时候，就非常高兴地说：“我也要待到夜深！我们将有一个舞会，我将要戴上那个大红蝴蝶结！”
她的脸上是多么光亮啊！这是因为她感到很高兴的缘故！什么蜡烛也发不出孩子那两只眼睛里闪射出的光辉！
“瞧着这副样儿真叫人感到幸福！”牛油烛想。“我永远也忘记不了这副样儿，当然我再也没有机会看见它了！”
于是它就被放进篮子，盖上了盖。孩子把它带走了。
“我现在会到什么地方去呢？”牛油烛想。“我将到穷人家里去，可能我连一个铜烛台也没有。但是蜡烛却坐在银烛台上，观看一些大人物。为那些大人物发出光来是多么痛快啊！但我命中注定是牛油，而不是蜡！”
这样，牛油烛就到穷人家里来了：一个寡妇和三个孩子住在这位富人家对面的一个又矮又小的房间里。
“那位好太太赠送我们这些好礼物，愿上帝祝福她！”妈妈说，“这根烛真是可爱！它可以一直点到深夜。”
这支牛油烛就被点着了。
“呸！呸！”它说，“她拿来点着我的那根火柴，气味真坏透了！在那个富人家里，人们决不会给蜡烛这种待遇的。”
那里的蜡烛也点起来了。它们的亮光一直射到街上。马车载来许多参加舞会的华贵客人。音乐也奏起来了。
“对面已经开始了！”牛油烛觉察到了，同时想起了那个有钱的小姑娘的发光的面孔——它比所有的蜡烛还要亮。“那副样儿我永远也看不见了！”
这个穷人家最小的孩子——一个小女孩——走过来搂着她哥哥和姐姐的脖子。她有一件非常重要的事情要告诉他们，因此她必须低声讲：“今晚我们将会有——猜猜看吧！——今晚我们将会有热土豆吃！”
她脸上立刻射出幸福的光彩来：牛油烛正照着这张小脸，它看到了一种快乐，一种像对面那富人家所有的幸福——那儿的小姑娘说：“今天夜晚我们将有一个舞会，我将要戴上那个大红蝴蝶结！”
“能得到热土豆吃跟戴上蝴蝶结是同样重要的，”牛油烛想。“这儿的孩子们也感到同样的快乐！”想到这儿，它就打了一个喷嚏，这也就是说，它发出噼噼啪啪的响声来——牛油烛所能做到的事情也就只有这一点。
桌子铺好了，热土豆也吃掉了。啊，味道多香啊！这简直是像打一次牙祭。除此以外， 每人还分得了一个苹果。那个顶小的孩子不禁唱出一支小曲子来：
好上帝，我感谢你， 你又送给我饭吃！
阿门！
“妈妈，你看这支歌的意思好不好？”小家伙天真地说。
“你不应该再问这样的话，”妈妈说。“你只能心里想着好上帝，他给你饭吃！”
小家伙们都上床了，每人得到一个吻，接着大家就睡着了。妈妈坐着缝衣服，一直缝到深夜，为的是要养活这一家人和她自己。在对面那个有钱人的家里，蜡烛点得非常亮，音乐也很热闹。星星在所有的屋子上照着——在富人的屋子上和在穷人的屋子上，同样光明和快乐地照着。
“这真是一个美丽的晚上！”牛油烛说。
“我倒很想知道，是不是插在银烛台上的蜡烛就能遇到比这还美丽的晚上。在我没有点完以前，我倒想知道一个究竟呢！”
于是它想起了两个幸福的孩子：一个被蜡烛照着，另一个被牛油烛照着。
是的，这就是整个故事！
这篇小品首先发表在纽约1870年8月出版的《青少年的河边杂志》第4卷。安徒生在手记中写道：“这个故事是来自现实生活，于1870年3月27日写好，完成后就立即寄给《青少年河边杂志》的编辑斯古德（HoraleScudden），在美国发表。”不久这篇小故事又在丹麦1871年的《新历书》上发表，但出版年月则是在1870年10月。孩子们脸上射出的光彩都是美丽的，不管孩子是富有或是贫穷。蜡烛，高级的蜡做的也好，低级的牛油做的也好，在美丽的东西面前，也都同等地感到愉快和幸福。