Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875) was a Danish author and poet famous for his fairy tales and children's stories. These include "The Little Mermaid", "Thumbelina", "The Ugly Duckling," and dozens more. His stories have been a part of the collective conscious for nearly two centuries. They're beautiful, poetic - sometimes dark - but always charming tales for small children and grownup children alike. Whereas the Grimm Brothers collected and edited old German folktales, Andersen wrote his own original stories. What they do share is a tendency to be occasionally macabre.

The first installment of tales were published by Andersen in 1835, though they were not immediately bestsellers. More editions were published the following two years, and eventually they caught on. Eventually he'd be highly acclaimed for his work, having delighted children all over the world. He would be celebrated by royalty during his travels, where he met famous authors including his favorite, Charles Dickens. Andersen's tales and poetry have been translated into over 150 languages, and have inspired countless movies, cartoons, ballets, and theater.