3-061-430 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Girl on fire - scene from "The Dreadful Story Of The Girl And The Lucifer Matches", 1856. 'Polly was left indoors alone, Her parents out to tea were gone; About the room she frisked and danced, And round about for playthings glanced; A box she on the table spied, T'was filled with lucifers inside... In vain the kittens purr and scratch; She heeds them not, but lights a match: It blazed and crackled famously...Miss Polly watched it fizz and fume, And danced delighted round the room!...What's this? The flame has caught her clothes! Has burnt her frock - has singed her hair - She's all on fire I do declare! And Puss and Trot, the kittens, In anguish wrung their mittens; "Oh, dear!" they mew'd, "she's burning, Through our good counsel spurning! Miow! miaw! miow! miew! The girl's on fire - what shall we do!" There's no one near, poor hapless maid - (The little Cats can give no aid). Her clothes are burnt - hair, bones and skin'. Page 16 of "Funny Books for Boys and Girls. Struwelpeter. Good-for-nothing Boys and Girls. Troublesome Children. King Nutcracker and Poor Reinhold", 1856. [London, England]