Which Danish author wrote the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid”?

Hans Christian Andersen wrote the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.”

Andersen, born in Odense in 1805, published “The Little Mermaid” in 1837. His version tells of a mermaid who longs to become human and seeks a prince’s love, but it is considerably more melancholy and spiritually focused than many later adaptations.

The story is part of Andersen’s original literary fairy tales, which also include “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Snow Queen.” Unlike many traditional folk tales, these works were written as authored texts rather than collected anonymously from oral tradition.

The 1989 Disney animated film adapted the story but changed major elements, including the ending and the heroine’s relationship with the prince. Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue, unveiled in 1913, was inspired by Andersen’s tale and became one of Denmark’s best-known landmarks.