'My fairy tales were as much for older people as for children...humour was the real salt in them.' Hans Andersen is best remembered for the tales collected in this edition, stories that have become classics and have been translated into over a hundred languages. This selection contains twenty-eight stories, including The Tinder-Box, Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and The Snow Queen, as well as others that are less well known. Some of the tales are taken from history or Danish folk tales, but the majority are Andersen's own invention and often feature the author, his friends and enemies in a variety of guises. This classic edition is accompanied by the original illustrations by Vilhelm Pedersen and Lorenz Frøhlich.
Author
Hans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories—called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality. Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.
