Fairy tales

Today is the birthday of Hans Christian Anderson.  He was born into poverty; his mother was a illiterate washerwoman and his father a cobbler in Odense, Denmark.  He had a rough childhood and disliked school, but he was ambitious and wanted to work in the theater as a singer or dancer.  He became a writer instead and eventually made enough money to leave Denmark and travel the world for twenty years.

Hans Christian Anderson, 1805-1875

He must have been very personable since he easily made important friends and was good at promoting his own work.  He wrote several travel books and many plays, but we know him best for the fairy tales that have been turned into countless movies and Disney cartoons. All the stories have stern lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity. I think Arthur Rackham's famous vintage illustrations have just the right edge for the slightly sinister tales.

The Emperor's New Clothes

The Princess and the Pea

The Little Mermaid

Thumbelina