the little mermaid and other tales hans christian andersen

Collin persuaded King Frederik VI to help fund Andersen’s education, thus giving him a real chance at becoming a successful writer. At seventeen when he met James Collin, the director of the Royal Danish Theatre, he found luck. Leaving Odense aged fourteen, Andersen tried to make it as a singer, a ballet dancer and a manual labourer. He was an apprentice weaver, then worked in a tailor’s and a tobacco factory. His father was ill and passed away when Andersen was only eleven, forcing his mother to send him away to earn money. He had a difficult start in life, being born to poor parents and growing up in a one-bedroom home. Andersen was a Danish author, born in Odense, Denmark on the 2 nd of April 1805. Hans Christian Andersen wrote the fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, in 1836. You might wonder who would ever want to leave a magical, underwater palace, but one young mermaid wants nothing more than to live in the light of day, and be requited with her handsome prince…įar out in the ocean the water is as blue as the petals of the most beautiful corn-flower, and as clear as the purest glass … dwell the Sea King and his subjects. The tale of The Little Mermaid is a treasured favourite for many people worldwide, but how well do you know the original story and its darker ending? Imagine plunging into the depths of the sea and uncovering an enchanting kingdom, ruled by mermaids. The Little Mermaid – A History of the Tale

Origins of Fairy Tales from Around the World.

The little mermaid and other tales hans christian andersen