Little Seven is rented out by her evil, moneygrubbing grandmother to a factory, where she becomes fast friends with Ah Nan, a downtrodden boy working in the factory. Despite suffering hunger and cold, the kids are not lonely, for the matchboxes in the factory are all their friends. Come nightfall, matchboxes, trees, fish and little animals of all descriptions steal into their dreams and dance with the kids.
小七被嗜錢如命的惡婆婆當成貨物一樣租給工廠經理，而和可憐的童工阿南成了好朋友，兩人儘管吃不飽、睡不暖，但一點都不孤單，因為工廠裡琳瑯滿目的火柴盒都是他們的好朋友，到了夜裡，火柴盒、樹、魚、各種小動物還會在睡夢中和他們一起跳舞。