Hans Christian Andersen

The section contains fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen.

Hans Christian Andersen, born April 2, 1805 in Odense, was a Danish writer and poet. Andersen died on August 4th, 1875 near Copenhagen, crowned with a worldwide fame. Between 1835 and 1872 he created over 150 fairy tales and stories, later translated into about 125 languages.

Great Claus and little Claus

In a village there once lived two men of the same name. Both of them were called Claus. But because one of them owned four horses while the other had but one, people call ...

The Emperor’s new clothes

Many years ago there was an emperor who was so fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on them. He did not give himself any concern about his army; he cared nothi ...

Everything in its right place

More than a hundred years ago, behind the wood and by a deep lake, stood an old baronial mansion. Round it lay a deep moat, in which grew reeds and rushes, and close by t ...

The Goblin and the Huckster

There was once a regular student, who lived in a garret and had no possessions. And there was also a regular huckster, to whom the house belonged, and who occupied the gr ...

The Butterfly

There was once a butterfly who wished for a bride; and, as may be supposed, he wanted to choose a very pretty one from among the flowers. He glanced with a very critical ...

The Flying Trunk

There was once a merchant who was so rich that he could have paved a whole street with gold, and would even then have had enough left for a small alley. He did not do so; ...

The Metal Pig

In the city of Florence, not far from the Piazza del Granduca, runs a little cross street called Porta Rosa. In this street, just in front of the market place where veget ...

The Swineherd

There was once a poor prince who had a kingdom, but it was a very small one. Still it was quite large enough to admit of his marrying, and he wished to marry. It was cer ...