Hans Christian Andersen’s 1861 tale about a mysterious bridegroom from the Alps is “The Ice Maiden.”
The story follows Rudy, a young man living in the Swiss Alps, whose life is shaped by an encounter with the Ice Maiden, a supernatural figure associated with glaciers and mountain danger. Rudy falls in love with Babette, but the Ice Maiden remains a threatening presence throughout the tale.
Andersen published the work in 1861, during the later period of his career. Unlike the compact moral tales most often associated with him, “The Ice Maiden” has a more expansive structure and draws heavily on Alpine scenery, folklore, romance, and fatalism.
The title is sometimes confused with “The Snow Queen,” since both stories use an icy female figure. They are separate works. The Snow Queen was published in 1844 and centers on Gerda and Kai; “The Ice Maiden” is a later Alpine story centered on Rudy and Babette.