The Old Street Lamp by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

5 seconds

The street lamp had become dilapidated and was replaced. But the wind, the water, and the stars brought him his gifts. And though he could not use them in the den of the night watchman and his wife, the lantern had peace of mind for his future.

1 minute

The street lamp had become dilapidated. They decided to replace it with a new one. The lantern was worried about going into meltdown. The lantern was taken care of by a night watchman and his wife.

To comfort the lantern, the wind, the raindrop and the star brought him their gifts. The wind gave him the ability to see all that others tell him, never to lose his memory.

The raindrop gave him the ability to rust and turn to ashes when he wished. And the star gave him the ability to show everything he remembers and knows. But in order to do so, it must hold a wax candle.

When the lantern was replaced with another, the night watchman asked for one for himself. The watchman read many wonderful books to his wife, and the lantern could show them that, but they only poured blubber into it.

The lantern thought his gift would be of no use to anyone. But he had a dream that it was melted down and a candlestick made, where they put a wax candle. The candlestick stood in the poet’s house and his room transformed into everything he wrote about.

Then the lantern found peace of mind.