Magical retellings of four classic fairy tales. "The Little Mermaid", read by Tamsin Greig: The youngest child of the Mer King lives in a beautiful underwater city. But on her first trip to the world above the ocean, she meets a handsome human Prince and falls in love.... "Rumpelstiltskin", read by Stephen Mangan: A beautiful miller's daughter is locked away by the King and told she will never see her family again unless she spins straw into gold. Then an ancient dwarf promises to help - but there is a price to pay... "The Snow Queen", read by Stephen Mangan: Sebastian and Anna are best friends who do everything together. So when Sebastian falls into the hands of the evil Snow Queen, Anna is determined to rescue him. "The Little Match Girl", read by Tamsin Greig: It is bitterly cold, and the Little Match Girl is walking the icy streets in bare feet, trying to sell just one box of matches so she can go home and get warm. But no-one wants to buy....
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.
