Hans Christian Andersen published his first fairy-tale collection, “Fairy Tales Told for Children,” in 1835.
The collection appeared in Copenhagen in two installments. Its first booklet included “The Tinderbox,” “Little Claus and Big Claus,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “Little Ida’s Flowers.” These stories helped establish Andersen as a distinctive literary voice.
Andersen’s early tales were unusual because they used conversational language and original plots rather than simply retelling traditional folklore. The collection was aimed at children, but its humor, sadness, irony, and moral complexity also appealed to adults.
The 1835 publication began Andersen’s celebrated career as a fairy-tale author. He continued publishing new stories and later issued many further collections, including tales such as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Snow Queen,” and “The Ugly Duckling.”