"Once Upon a Time"

Stories from Hans Andersen's " Once Upon a Time"

Edmund Dulac’s illustration for "The Snow Queen", 1911

Milo Winter's illustration for "Thumbelina", 1916

Harry Clarke's illustration for "The Wild Swans", 1916

Hans Christian Andersen, often referred to in Scandinavia as H. C. Andersen ( 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. 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 in Danish, 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 Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "Thumbelina", and many more.

My first  H.C. Andersen book from year 1956
Book cover illustration by Rudolf Koivu for the fairy tale of  "The Nightingale"

Hans Christian Andersen (1805– 1875 ) oli tanskalainen kirjailija ja runoilija. Hänet tunnetaan erityisesti saduistaan, jotka kuuluvat maailman eniten käännettyyn kirjallisuuteen. Andersenin tunnettuja satuja ovat muiden muassa Keisarin uudet vaatteet, Pieni merenneito, Todellinen prinsessa (myös nimellä Prinsessa ja herne), Ruma ankanpoikanen ja Lumikuningatar.

"Andersenin sadut eivät koskaan vanhene. Niissä on aina sama puhdas tuoreus, sama puhdas henki ja sadun ihmeellinen salaperäisyys. ( Anni Swan )"

This is my entry for Beth's Postcard  Friendship Friday.