THE TWO MATCHES
by Robert Louis Stevenson · from Fables
Adapted Version
The sun was hot. The Traveller was in a dry forest. The wind blew hard. He rode his horse a long way. He felt very tired. He felt very hungry too. He needed a good rest. He looked for a place.
He stopped to rest. He got off his horse. He wanted to smoke his pipe. He looked for his matches. He put his hand in his pocket. He found only two matches. Just two small matches.
He took out the first match. He struck it on a rock. It did not light. It made no fire.
Oh no! he thought. Only one match is left. He felt very sad. This was bad luck. He needed a smoke. He wanted it much.
He thought about the last match. He wanted to smoke his pipe. But he must be very careful. What if he lit the match? What if a fire started? This could be big trouble. A very big problem. He thought of the forest.
The grass was very dry. The wind blew hard. A small fire could grow fast. It could burn many trees. The fire would run quickly. It would get very big. The fire would get very big. It would be very hot. It would spread far. Animals would run away. Birds would fly away. Small animals would hide. Plants would dry up. Flowers would burn. The forest would be black. A farmer would be very sad. His farm might burn too. He would lose his home. He knew his choice could make big problems. A small match. A big fire. He thought deeply about this. He must be very careful now.
He took out the last match. He held it tight. He struck it on the rock. It did not light. It made no fire. The match was broken.
Oh, good! he thought. He felt happy. He put his pipe away. He did not need to smoke. He knew it was good to be careful. He had made a good choice.
Original Story
III—THE TWO MATCHES.
One day there was a traveller in the woods in California, in the dry season, when the Trades were blowing strong. He had ridden a long way, and he was tired and hungry, and dismounted from his horse to smoke a pipe. But when he felt in his pocket he found but two matches. He struck the first, and it would not light.
“Here is a pretty state of things!” said the traveller. “Dying for a smoke; only one match left; and that certain to miss fire! Was there ever a creature so unfortunate? And yet,” thought the traveller, “suppose I light this match, and smoke my pipe, and shake out the dottle here in the grass—the grass might catch on fire, for it is dry like tinder; and while I snatch out the flames in front, they might evade and run behind me, and seize upon yon bush of poison oak; before I could reach it, that would have blazed up; over the bush I see a pine tree hung with moss; that too would fly in fire upon the instant to its topmost bough; and the flame of that long torch—how would the trade wind take and brandish that through the inflammable forest! I hear this dell roar in a moment with the joint voice of wind and fire, I see myself gallop for my soul, and the flying conflagration chase and outflank me through the hills; I see this pleasant forest burn for days, and the cattle roasted, and the springs dried up, and the farmer ruined, and his children cast upon the world. What a world hangs upon this moment!”
With that he struck the match, and it missed fire.
“Thank God!” said the traveller, and put his pipe in his pocket.
Story DNA
Moral
Even small actions can have catastrophic consequences, and it is wise to consider potential outcomes before acting.
Plot Summary
A tired traveler in a dry California forest, with only two matches left, attempts to light his pipe. After the first match fails, he vividly imagines the catastrophic forest fire that could result if his last match lit and he was careless. Overwhelmed by the potential devastation, he strikes the final match, which fortunately misses fire, leading him to put his pipe away with immense relief.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anxiety to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Forest fires were a significant and often devastating threat in dry regions, especially before modern firefighting techniques. The story highlights a common danger of the era.
Plot Beats (11)
- A traveler is in a dry California forest during strong trade winds, tired and hungry.
- He dismounts to smoke his pipe but finds he only has two matches.
- The first match fails to light.
- The traveler expresses frustration about his bad luck with only one match remaining.
- He then begins to vividly imagine the disastrous consequences if he were to light the last match, smoke, and carelessly discard the dottle.
- His imagination details a rapidly spreading forest fire, fueled by dry grass, poison oak, a moss-hung pine, and the trade winds.
- He envisions the entire dell roaring with fire, himself fleeing, the forest burning for days, cattle roasted, springs dried, and a farmer ruined.
- He realizes the immense weight of consequence resting on this single moment.
- He strikes the last match.
- The match misses fire.
- The traveler exclaims "Thank God!" and puts his pipe away.
Characters
The Traveller ★ protagonist
A man of average height and sturdy build, weathered by travel and the elements. His face shows signs of fatigue and hunger, with a slight tan from the Californian sun. He is likely lean from his journey.
Attire: Practical, durable clothing suitable for riding in the dry Californian woods. Likely a sturdy canvas or leather jacket, a simple cotton shirt, denim or canvas trousers, and worn leather boots. A wide-brimmed hat to protect from the sun.
Wants: Initially, to satisfy his craving for a smoke and find comfort. Ultimately, his motivation shifts to preventing a potential disaster and preserving the natural world and livelihoods of others.
Flaw: His initial desire for immediate gratification (a smoke) almost blinds him to the larger consequences. His imagination, while a strength, also creates intense internal drama.
He begins as a tired man seeking simple pleasure but transforms into a deeply reflective individual who recognizes the immense responsibility tied to his actions, ultimately finding profound relief in a missed opportunity for disaster.
Thoughtful, responsible, imaginative (to a fault, perhaps), cautious, and ultimately grateful. He is capable of deep introspection and foresight.
Image Prompt & Upload
A weary adult man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a tanned, slightly gaunt face with a short, practical dark beard and observant dark eyes. His dark hair is a bit disheveled under a wide-brimmed, worn leather hat. He wears a sturdy, dark brown canvas jacket over a simple cream-colored cotton shirt, faded blue denim trousers, and scuffed brown leather riding boots. He holds a small, dark wooden pipe in his left hand and a single unlit wooden match in his right, looking thoughtfully into the distance with a serious, contemplative expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
California Woods
A dry, inflammable forest in California during the dry season, with strong trade winds blowing. The ground is covered in tinder-dry grass, with specific mentions of poison oak bushes and moss-hung pine trees.
Mood: Tense, precarious, desolate, with an underlying threat of catastrophe
The traveler dismounts to smoke, contemplates the immense danger of lighting a match in the dry conditions, and ultimately fails to light his last match, narrowly averting a massive forest fire.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-baked, parched landscape in the California chaparral, with a narrow, dusty trail winding through it. Sparse, dry golden grass covers the ground, interspersed with low, brittle-looking bushes and a few tall, gnarled Ponderosa pines, their bark rough and reddish, with some branches draped in pale green Spanish moss. Strong, invisible winds ripple through the dry vegetation, and the sky is a pale, hazy blue. The light is harsh and direct, casting sharp shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
