The Little Match Man: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Little Match Man: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Little Match Man is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Barzini, Luigi (1874–1947). The listed translation credits are Woodruff, S. F..
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Little Match Man" by Luigi Barzini is a fictional tale written in the early 20th century. This imaginative narrative explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the contrast between the magical and the mundane, as depicted through the adventures of a small spirit known as Fiammiferino, who is transformed into a matchstick. The story takes readers into a fantastical journey blending elements of Japanese culture with whimsical storytelling. The protagonist, a lonely narrator who creates a little match man named Fiammiferino while stuck indoors during a rainstorm in Japan, soon discovers that this creation possesses a magical consciousness. As the story unfolds, Fiammiferino shares his poignant backstory as a Haji, a spirit of a willow tree, who recounts his past life and the tragedies of nature being exploited by humans. Through their adventures, Fiammiferino and the narrator confront the themes of war and the importance of companionship. Ultimately, Fiammiferino seeks to save the life of his former guardian, Prince Funato, a prince who had been saved by Fiammiferino in his previous life, leading to a selfless act of courage that demonstrates the enduring connection between them.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Little Match Man
- Author credits: Barzini, Luigi (1874–1947)
- Catalogue language: English
- Translator credits: Woodruff, S. F.
Catalogue subjects
- Japan -- Juvenile fiction
- Jinn -- Juvenile fiction
- Matches -- Juvenile fiction
- War -- Juvenile fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


