Stories and fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen - Page 5

Stories and fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen

The daisyH.C. Andersen →

The story of a motherH.C. Andersen →

Five peas from a podH.C. Andersen →

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The complete fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm

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Fairy tales and stories by H.C. Andersen

List of fairy tales (Page 5)

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The last dream of the old oak

The last dream of the old oak

In the forest, high up on the steep shore, and not far from the open seacoast, stood a very old oak-tree. It was just three hundred and sixty-five years old, but that long time was to the tree as the same number of days might be to us; we wake by day and sleep by night, and then we have our dreams. It is different with the tree; it is obliged to keep awake through three seasons of the year, and does not get any sleep till winter comes. Winter is its time for rest; its night after the long day ofRead the story →

The A-B-C book

The ABC book

Once there was a man who had written some new rhymes for the A-B-C Book - two lines for each letter, just as in the old A-B-C Book. He believed the old rhymes were too antiquated, that something new was needed, and he thought well indeed of his own rhymes. His new A-B-C Book was still only in handwriting, and already it had been placed beside the old printed one in the great bookcase where there stood many books, both of knowledge and for amusement. But the old A-B-C Book didn't want to be a neiRead the story →

The marsh king's daughter

The marsh king's daughter

The storks relate to their little ones a great many stories, and they are all about moors and reed banks, and suited to their age and capacity. The youngest of them are quite satisfied with kribble, krabble, or such nonsense, and think it very grand; but the elder ones want something with a deeper meaning, or at least something about their own family. We are only acquainted with one of the two longest and oldest stories which the storks relate– it is about Moses, who was exposed by his mother onRead the story →

The races

The races

A prize, or rather two prizes, a great one and a small one, had been awarded for the greatest swiftness in running,– not in a single race, but for the whole year. I obtained the first prize, said the hare. Justice must still be carried out, even when one has relations and good friends among the prize committee; but that the snail should have received the second prize, I consider almost an insult to myself No, said the fence-rail, who had been a witness at the distribution of prizes; there shouldRead the story →

The stone of the wise man

The stone of the wise man

You know the story of Holger Danske, so we won't repeat it, but will ask you if you remember how Holger Danske conquered the great land of India, eastward at the end of the world, to the tree called 'the Tree of the Sun,' as Christen Pedersen says. Do you know Christen Pedersen? It makes no difference if you don't. Holger Danske gave Prester John his power and rule over India. Have you heard about Prester John? Yes? Well, it makes no difference if you haven't, because he doesn't come into our stRead the story →

The wind tells about Valdemar Daae and his daughters

The wind tells about Valdemar Daae and his daughters

When the wind sweeps over the grass, the blades of grass ripple like the water of a lake; and when it sweeps over the cornfield, the ears of corn curl into waves like those on a lake; this is the dance of the Wind. But listen to him tell the story; he sings it out; and how different his song among the trees of the forest is from his shriek through the cracks, crannies, and crevices of old walls. Watch him chase the white, fleecy clouds across the sky like a flock of sheep; notice how he howls thRead the story →

The girl who trod on the loaf

The girl who trod on the loaf

There was once a girl who trod on a loaf to avoid soiling her shoes, and the misfortunes that happened to her in consequence are well known. Her name was Inge; she was a poor child, but proud and presuming, and with a bad and cruel disposition. When quite a little child she would delight in catching flies, and tearing off their wings, so as to make creeping things of them. When older, she would take cockchafers and beetles, and stick pins through them. Then she pushed a green leaf, or a little sRead the story →

Ole the tower-keeper

Ole the towerkeeper

In the world it's always going up and down; and now I can't go up any higher! So said Ole the tower-keeper. Most people have to try both the ups and the downs; and, rightly considered, we all get to be watchmen at last, and look down upon life from a height. Such was the speech of Ole, my friend, the old tower-keeper, a strange, talkative old fellow, who seemed to speak out everything that came into his head, and who for all that had many a serious thought deep in his heart. Yes, he was the chilRead the story →

Anne Lisbeth

Anne Lisbeth

Anne Lisbeth's complexion was like peaches and cream; her eyes were bright, her teeth shiny white; she was young, gay, and beautiful to look upon; her steps were light and her mind was even lighter. What would come of all this? That awful brat, people said about her baby; and indeed he wasn't pretty, so he was left with the ditchdigger's wife. Anne Lisbeth went into service in the Count's castle. There she sat in a magnificent room, dressed in silk and velvet; not a breath of wind was allowed toRead the story →

Children's prattle

Children's prattle

There was a large party for children at the house of the merchant; rich people's children and important people's children were all there. Their host, the merchant, was a learned man; his father had insisted that he have a college education. You see, his father had been only a cattle dealer, but he had always been honest and thrifty. This business had brought him a fortune, and his son, the merchant, had later managed to increase this fortune. Clever as he was, he also had a kind heart, but thereRead the story →

The child in the grave

The child in the grave

It was a very sad day, and every heart in the house felt the deepest grief; for the youngest child, a boy of four years old, the joy and hope of his parents, was dead. Two daughters, the elder of whom was going to be confirmed, still remained: they were both good, charming girls; but the lost child always seems the dearest; and when it is youngest, and a son, it makes the trial still more heavy. The sisters mourned as young hearts can mourn, and were especially grieved at the sight of their pareRead the story →

Pen and inkstand

Pen and inkstand

In a poet's study, somebody made a remark as he looked at the inkstand that was standing on the table: It's strange what can come out of that inkstand! I wonder what the next thing will be. Yes, it's strange! That it is! said the Inkstand. It's unbelievable, that's what I have always said. The Inkstand was speaking to the Pen and to everything else on the table that could hear it. It's really amazing what comes out of me! Almost incredible! I actually don't know myself what will come next when tRead the story →

The farm-yard cock and the weather-cock

The farmyard cock and the weathercock

There were two cocks– one on the dung-hill, the other on the roof. They were both arrogant, but which of the two rendered most service? Tell us your opinion– we'll keep to ours just the same though. The poultry yard was divided by some planks from another yard in which there was a dung-hill, and on the dung-hill lay and grew a large cucumber which was conscious of being a hot-bed plant. One is born to that, said the cucumber to itself. Not all can be born cucumbers; there must be other things, tRead the story →

"Beautiful"

Beautiful

Alfred the sculptor - yes, you know him, don't you? We all know him; he was awarded the gold medal, traveled to Italy, and came home again. He was young then; in fact, he is still young, though he is ten years older than he was at that time. After he returned home, he visited one of the little provincial towns on the island of Zealand. The whole village knew who the stranger was, and in his honor one of the richest families gave a party. Everyone of any importance or owning any property was inviRead the story →

A story from the sand dunes

A story from the sand dunes

This is a story of the sand dunes of Jutland, but it doesn't begin there; no, it begins far away to the south, in Spain. The ocean is the highway between the two countries. So now let your thoughts journey to Spain! It is warm there, and it is beautiful. The fiery red pomegranate blossoms grow among the dark laurels; a refreshing wind from the mountains breathes over the orange gardens and the graceful Moorish palaces with golden cupolas and colored walls. Children walk in procession through theRead the story →

Two brothers

Two brothers

On one of the Danish islands, where old Thingstones, the seats of justice of our forefathers, still stand in the cornfields, and huge trees rise in the forests of beech, there lies a little town whose low houses are covered with red tiles. In one of these houses strange things were brewing over the glowing coals on the open hearth; there was a boiling going on in glasses, and a mixing and distilling, while herbs were being cut up and pounded in mortars. An elderly man looked after it all. One muRead the story →

Moving day

Moving day

You surely remember Ole, the tower watchman. I have told you about two visits I paid him, and now I'll tell you of a third, although it won't be the last one. I have gone up to see him generally on New Year's Day, but this time it was Moving Day, when everything down in the city streets is very unpleasant, for they are littered with heaps of rubbish and crockery and all kinds of sweepings, not to mention musty old straw that you have to trample about in. Well, there I was, and in the middle of tRead the story →

The butterfly

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 eye, at all the flower-beds, and found that the flowers were seated quietly and demurely on their stalks, just as maidens should sit before they are engaged; but there was a great number of them, and it appeared as if his search would become very wearisome. The butterfly did not like to take too much trouble, so he flew off onRead the story →

The bishop of Börglum and his men

The bishop of Börglum and his men

We are up in Jutland, near the wild marsh. We can hear the North Sea, hear it tossing about, for it is quite close by. Before us there rises a great sand dune; we have been looking at it for a long while, and we've been, and still are, driving toward it, very slowly, through the deep sand. On the top of this sand dune is an old, rambling building, the Börglum Monastery, the largest wing of which is the church. We arrive there in the late evening, but the air is clear and the night is bright, soRead the story →

Twelve by the mail

Twelve by the mail

It was very frosty, starry clear weather, quiet and calm. Bump! A pot was thrown against a door. Bang! Fireworks were shot off to welcome the new year, for it was New Year's Eve; and now the clock struck twelve! Trateratra! There came the mail. The big mail coach stopped outside the gate to the town. It carried twelve people and couldn't hold more, for all the seats were taken. Hurrah! Hurrah! rang out in the houses, where people were celebrating New Year's Eve. They arose with full glasses andRead the story →

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The most beautiful stories of AndersenThe best fairy tales →

The devil with the three golden hairsA fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm →

Little Red Riding HoodA fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm →

The white snakeA fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm →