Reading Notes: Hans Christian Andersen, Part A

Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

The Princess and the Pea

- "ONCE upon a time, there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but she would have to be a real princess."

*How does one go about defining what a real princess is? What are the guidelines there? Ha ha.*

- "Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that." 

*What?? Ha ha. Makes no sense.*

The Brave Tin Soldier

- "The first thing in the world they ever heard were the words, “Tin soldiers!” uttered by a little boy, who clapped his hands with delight when the lid of the box, in which they lay, was taken off."

*I like the idea of toys being personified like this.*

- "The table on which the tin soldiers stood was covered with other playthings, but the most attractive to the eye was a pretty little paper castle. Through the small windows the rooms could be seen. In front of the castle a number of little trees surrounded a piece of looking-glass, which was intended to represent a transparent lake. Swans, made of wax, swam on the lake, and were reflected in it."

*Oo, I like these descriptions here a lot. It's a nice little scene to put yourself in.*

- "...the window flew open, and out fell the tin soldier, heels over head, from the third story, into the street beneath."

*This reminds me of Toy Story quite a lot. I wonder if it might be based on this story somewhat.*

- "...there he was in the very same room from the window of which he had fallen, there were the same children, the same playthings, standing on the table, and the pretty castle with the elegant little dancer at the door..."

*It's crazy how he made a return to them, but I guess this is a fairytale. I like it.*

- "Suddenly the door of the room flew open, and the draught of air caught up the little dancer; she fluttered like a sylph right into the stove by the side of the tin soldier and was instantly in flames and was gone. The tin soldier melted down into a lump, and the next morning, when the maid servant took the ashes out of the stove, she found him in the shape of a little tin heart."

*I really enjoyed this story. It might be my favorite one of the whole semester.*

The Little Match-Seller

- "So the little girl went on with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold."

*Ouch, that sounds so miserable!*

- "Lights were shining from every window, and there was a savory smell of roast goose, for it was New-year’s Eve — yes, she remembered that."

*That's so sad! Everyone else is warm and celebrating while she's freezing outside.*

- "She lighted another match, and then she found herself sitting under a beautiful Christmas-tree. It was larger and more beautifully decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant’s. Thousands of tapers were burning upon the green branches, and colored pictures, like those she had seen in the show-windows, looked down upon it all. The little one stretched out her hand towards them, and the match went out."

*Wow, what a scene!*

Toy Soldiers (Source: Pixabay)

Bibliography: Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Website: Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook.