The Tinderbox Synposis

The story of ‘The Tinderbox’ revolves around a man called the soldier and how his greed helped him to get everything he desired.   The story starts with the soldier walking home from a war, during that time he meets a witch, who asks him for help with retrieving a tinderbox from inside a hollow tree, in return the soldier was allowed to take anything else in that tree that he wanted.

When the soldier climbed down into the tree, he found three rooms with money protected by three dogs; “one with eyes the size of teacups”, who guards the chest filled with pennies. One with “eyes the size of supper-plates”, who guards the chest filled with silver, and one with “eyes the size of windmills”, who guards the chest filled with gold.  After stuffing his pockets with money the soldier leaves the tree and refuses to give the tinderbox to the witch without a reason, when she denies him, he chops off her head and takes the tinderbox for himself.

The soldier starts living the life of luxury with his wealth, he learns of a princess kept in a tower after a prophecy foretold her marriage to a common soldier; his interest is piqued and he wants to see her but realizes his whim cannot be satisfied. Eventually the soldier has his wealth reduced to mere pennies.  He strikes the tinderbox, and to his surprise one of the dogs appears before him, he then learns that he can summon all three dogs to bring him money whenever he likes and once again becomes wealthy.

One night, he remembers the story of the princess in the locked tower, and wishes to see her. He strikes the tinderbox and sends the dog with eyes the size of teacups to bring her to his apartment. The soldier is overwhelmed with her beauty, kisses her and orders the dog to return her to the tower. The following morning, the princess tells her parents she has had a strange dream and relates the night's adventure. The royal couple then watch her closely. When the princess is carried away again, they unsuccessfully use a trail of flour and chalk marks on neighbourhood doors to find where she spends her nights. Eventually, her whereabouts are discovered and the soldier is clapped in prison and sentenced to death.

On the day of execution, the soldier sends a shoemaker’s boy for his tinderbox, and, at the scaffold, asks to have a last smoke. He then strikes the tinderbox and the three monstrous dogs appear. They kill the judge, the councillors, the King and Queen. The soldier and the princess are united, and the dogs join the wedding feast.