Hans Christian Andersen published The Snow Queen in 1844.
The tale first appeared in Andersen’s collection New Fairy Tales. First Book. First Collection, which was published in Copenhagen in December 1844. It is one of Andersen’s longest and most structurally elaborate fairy tales, divided into seven stories or episodes.
The plot follows Gerda as she travels through a dangerous, magical world to rescue Kai, whose heart and eye have been affected by fragments of a magical mirror. The Snow Queen herself is memorable, but Gerda’s loyalty, courage, and perseverance drive the story.
The tale is sometimes confused with later adaptations, especially animated films and stage productions that add characters or plotlines not present in Andersen’s original. The original story’s publication date is 1844, several decades before modern film versions. Andersen’s snow queen is also distinct from the general winter-witch archetype found in other folklore.