DOCSLIB.ORG

The Little Fir Tree

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Little Fir Tree 2008–2009 SEASON Major Sponsor: by Brian Hohlfeld based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen Original Music by Neal Richardson Directed by Kat Singleton contents 2 The Little Fir Tree 3 Setting the Scene • Who’s Who? 4 What’s the Story? 5 Words to the Wise • Read More About It 6 Activity Sheets by Brian Hohlfeld based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen Original Music by Neal Richardson Directed by Kat Singleton Musical Director Neal Richardson Scenic & Costume Designer Garth Dunbar Stage Manager Eric Barnes MISSOURI ARTS COUNCIL Director of Education Marsha Coplon Artistic Supervisor Jeffery Matthews The Company Narrator, The Boy / Briston Ashe Financial assistance for this theatre Narrator, Aunt Julia / Katie Consamus has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; the Missouri Arts Narrator, Father / Chauncy Thomas Council, a stage agency; the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis; and the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission. Little Fir Tree / Amanda Williford 2 setting the scene While The Little Fir Tree takes place way out in the middle of the field next to a forest, it’s about something that’s close to us all—fitting in, belonging and having friends. We all want to feel like we’re well-liked and a part of the group, but sometimes we feel sad and alone like the Little Fir Tree in the field. The play shows us, however, that there’s always someone around who loves us and wants us to feel better. Between friends, family and other loved ones, there’s always someone around who cares about you. And when one of your loved ones is feeling down, you can be around for them too! who’s who? All alone in the middle of the One day, as the snow falls field outside the forest, in the middle of winter, the LITTLE FIR TREE FATHER comes to visit the stands all by herself. Little Fir Tree. He wants to take her home and make her a part of Christmas. The Little Fir Tree isn’t completely alone, though. Her friends SQUIRREL and BIRD come The Little Fir Tree loves to visit her all the time, telling tales of the her new friend the BOY, taller trees in the forest. a sick little boy who is unable to stand or walk. 3 what’s the story? As the winds bustle about, a small Tree must return to the forest. While she’s sad seed blows by, landing in the middle of a field to go, Father assures her that he’ll be back beside a forest. When the rains come, the seed next winter to make her a part of Christmas sinks deep into the Earth and slowly begins to again. Upon returning to the forest, she tells grow. As the seasons pass something magical Squirrel and Bird of her Christmas happens—the seed becomes the Little Fir adventures. They’ve missed her and have Tree. a hard time believing all the magic of her stories. Along with the big trees of the forest, As the Little Fir Tree stands alone in they are jealous of all the fun she’s had. the field, she feels lonely and wishes for company. Luckily for her, Bird and Squirrel The Little Fir Tree was happy to drop by, cheering the Little Fir Tree up with celebrate Christmas with Father and Boy, and stories of the big trees just off in the distance. she can’t wait to do it again. The seasons take They can’t stay long though, and when they forever to drag by, but finally Christmas leave the Little Fir Tree finds herself sad and comes once again. Father comes and takes Please feel free to lonely again. her back to his home, and she and the Boy adapt these materials quickly renew their friendship. This year, to suit your classroom With the winter comes snow and however, the Boy seems sicker than last year. needs and reproduce also a human. Squirrel and Bird warned the He isn’t even able to try and put the special them for future use. Little Fir Tree about humans—they like to star on the Fir Tree’s highest branch. The activities in this chop trees down. As he approaches, however, guide address the Father assures the Little Fir Tree that he’s not Returning to the forest when it’s all following Missouri here to chop her down. He’s here to carefully over, the Little Fir Tree finds herself anxious Show Me Standards dig her up, take her back to his home, and for Christmas to come again. The seasons and Illinois Learning make her a part of Christmas. Though she’s again pass slowly, and finally when winter Standards. not sure what this Christmas thing is all comes the Little Fir Tree can wait no more. MO: CA1, CA5, FA2, about, she happily agrees. But this year, when the snows come, there are FA4, SC3, SC4, SC8 no humans. Bird and Squirrel tell her that As Father carries the Little Fir Tree IL: 1, 3, 5, 12, 13 the big trees don’t think Father is coming this back through the forest, she excitedly greets year, and the Little Fir Tree becomes sad and all the trees that she has only been able to lonely again. She then remembers that the look at from the field. But the best is yet to Boy wasn’t doing so well last year, and she come, as she finds a new friend at Father’s begins to wonder if something bad has house in the Boy. He’s a sick young man who happened. What if her friend isn’t okay? isn’t able to stand or walk which makes him feel sad and lonely too. The Little Fir Tree As the cold winds bustle about, and Boy won’t be sad or lonely for long however, they bring a familiar sound. It’s the though, as they quickly become the best of Boy, and he’s able to stand and walk all by friends, enjoying Christmas and all its joy himself. The friends hug and celebrate many together. more Christmases together, as they grow stronger and taller every year. After all the celebrating, dancing, eating and decorating are done, the Little Fir 4 words to the wise Lonely: If you’re lonely, that means you Jealous: If you’re jealous of someone feel like you’re all by yourself or that there’s else, it means you’re unhappy that they have nobody around to help you out. something you don’t have. Common: If you have something in Droning: If the days are droning by, that common with someone, it means that you means they’re crawling really slowly by— share something with them or you have the like sometimes when it’s Tuesday and it same thing that they do. seems like it takes forever to get to Friday. Dreary: If something is dreary, then it’s kind of dull and maybe even sad. read more about it We encourage you to examine Andersen, Hans Christian. http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis these topics in-depth by Hans Christian Andersen: If you want to know more about exploring the following books, The Complete Fairy Tales and Missouri’s wildlife and DVDs and websites. Stories. Anchor, 1983. If you conservation, check out the liked The Little Fir Tree you official Missouri Department of Brown, Margaret. The Little might like to read other fairy Conservation website! Fir Tree, Harper Collins, 2005. tales by Hans Christian Are you sad that the play is Conrad, Heather. Lights of Andersen. over? Don’t worry, you can Winter: Winter Around the always check out the book! http://www.arborday.org World, Lightport Books, 2001. Want to know more about trees The Little Fir Tree learns about The Little Mermaid, Walt like the Little Fir Tree? Check Christmas, and you can learn Disney Home Entertainment, out the Arbor Day Foundation about other winter holidays in 83 minutes, 1989, DVD. Hans website for all kinds of cool this book. Christian Andersen also gave us information! this favorite tale. 5 Starting Small We all know what trees look Just after a seed germinates, like when they’re all grown up, it’s not quite a mature plant. It’s right? They’re big, strong and tall actually a seedling, consisting of a with lots of leaves, branches, bark root, a shoot (what will become its and wood. But where does all that stem or trunk later on), and seed stuff come from? Just like you, me leaves. At this point, the plant is still and the Little Fir Tree, everything graduating from food in the seed to has to start out small before it can using the sun, water and soil as grow big and tall. food, much like a baby goes from milk to baby food and then to solid All plants and trees, from adult foods. dandelions to giant sequoias, start out as just a seed. Seeds can be Also kind of like babies, found in various shapes and sizes seedlings often don’t always look (from almost too small to see to as like the plant they’ll grow up to be, large as 50 pounds!), but regardless and in some cases they look of what a seed looks like, it contains absolutely nothing like their adult an infant plant. These infant plants counterpart. For example, the are called embryos, and while inside great redwood tree (which grows the seed they don’t have their leaves, to nearly 400 feet tall) starts out branches, bark or wood just yet.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Little Mermaid Icon and Disneyfication
    The Little Mermaid Icon and Disneyfication Finn Hauberg Mortensen University of Copenhagen s AN ICON IN MASS cui.TURE, thc Little Meniiaid has become the official image of Denmark in general., and of its capital, At Copenhagen, in particular. Its icoiiicity is intimately tied to two sources: Edvard Eriksen's famous bronze statue erected on the Copen- hagen waterfront in 191? and Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale from i8í7. The complexity of Andersen's fairytale, however, which lends the symbolic value to Eriksen's statue, has been largely ignored because the statue has taken on a lite of its own. Historically, it belongs to the final phase of Danish classical sculpture., but it has also become the raw material of modernistic artistic expressions. In fact over the last fort^' years, the statue has moved toward two distinct representations: the completed statue by Eriksen viewed and re\ered by die millions of tourists who visit and photograph it and the ongoing fragmented and unfinished work, which has derived from the destruction of the former. This latter ''work of art" in turn points to the modernit)' of which it and Denmark has become part. The fragmentation started in içfti, when the statue had its hair painted red and was dressed up in a bra and panties. Two years later she was painted red again. In 1964, these prankish attacks were followed by an act of willful artistic vandalism when an unknown assailant sawed the head off the body. Later, Jörgen Nash, a situationist visual artist and author, claimed responsibility for removing the head and for making a deliberate assault on die Danish national symbol.
    [Show full text]
  • Copenhagen's Famous Mermaid: Den Lille Havfrue, the Little Mermaid
    Copenhagen’s Famous Mermaid: Den lille havfrue, The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid was made famous by a fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s famous author. It was a tale about a young mermaid who was willing to give up her life in the ocean and her life as a mermaid to gain a human soul. “The tale was actually made to scare children into good behavior.” ‐ quietlunch.com ‐ hca.gilead.org Copenhagen’s famous statue is that of the Little Mermaid, however there are rumors that the original is not what is displayed by the City of Copenhagen. Why you ask. Well, the original was sculpted by Edvard Erkisen who was commissioned to do the statue in 1909. It was unveiled on August 23, 1913, a gift from the Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen from Carlsberg Brewery. Four years later the 385‐pound bronze statue was presented to the City of Copenhagen and placed in the harbor area. Since her appearance, she has been vandalized and scandalized. It is believed that the original is with the Eriksen family. Vandalism has included decapitation three times, an arm being attacked with a hacksaw, someone even used an explosive to blow her off her pedestal and throwing paint on her five times. The scandal came from none other than Facebook who banned her from its online publication due to nudity guidelines. ‐ bbc.com ‐VisitDenmark The mermaid’s history was also plagued with problems from the beginning. According to VisitDenmark, “The Little Mermaid was meant to be modelled after contemporary ballerina Ellen Price, but as she refused to model nude, the Mermaid was in fact modelled after Edvard Eriksen’s wife, Eline.” “The statue was sculpted as a twin‐tailed mermaid, although the H.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Disney's the Little Mermaid
    Disney’s The Little Mermaid A production by Variety Children’s Theatre October 24 - 26, 2014 Touhill Performing Arts Center University of Missouri - St. Louis Dear Educators, Variety Children’s Theatre is proud to present its sixth annual production, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Once again under the direction of Tony Award nominee Lara Teeter, this show boasts some of the city’s greatest professional actors and designers. We all eagerly await the results of their craft— bringing the story of Ariel to life. Be sure that you and your students are there to experience the beauty of an opera house with a full orchestra, dazzling sets and brilliant costumes (including a trip under the sea). Musical theatre can enhance learning on so many levels. It builds an appreciation for the arts, brings to life a lesson on the parts of a story (i.e. characters, plot, conflict) and provides the perfect setting to learn a thing or two about fairy tales and why they are important windows into important facets of our lives. Variety takes that learning one step further, however, presenting an inclusive cast where adult equity actors, talented adults from community theatre, and gifted theatrical children, work side-by-side with children who have a wide range of disabilities. The production is truly a lesson in acceptance, perseverance and the “I CAN” spirit that shines through all Variety programs. In the near future, we will have Disney’s The Little Mermaid study guide to help you incorporate the show into your curriculum and to help your students prepare for the show.
    [Show full text]
  • Ebook Download the Art of Ponyo Kindle
    THE ART OF PONYO PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Hayao Miyazaki | 272 pages | 05 Nov 2013 | Viz Media | 9781421566023 | English | San Francisco, United States The Art of Ponyo PDF Book The Art of Ponyo. Book Depository. Backlist selling opportunity. Related Searches. This book captures the art of the film, from conception to production, and features in-depth interviews with the filmmakers. While the works of Miyazaki do owe their visual lineage to the aesthetics of anime, it's Miyzaki's sensitive portraits of children, girls in particular, and his morality plays that more closely align his films with the type of narratives normally written by children's book authors Lewis Carroll, Hans Christian Andersen or J. Hayao Miyazaki remains the unchallenged master of wonder. It was so amazing to learn that everything was completely drawn by hand without assistance from cel animation. Dewi Kur. Daintie Montaque rated it it was amazing Mar 17, At times some customers have experienced delays of several minutes. Related Products. Error rating book. Book Author. Ponyo , loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid , is a hand-drawn feature-length film of breathtaking beauty and charm. About Hayao Miyazaki. Edit comment. Overview An in-depth look at the hand-drawn anime hit! Miyazaki's other achievements include the highly regarded manga series Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Starting Point: , a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Relive the story of Ponyo and Sosuke in this full-color movie art book! While exploring their sprawling home and the beautiful rural Rating details.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF Downloads
    The Educational Review, USA, 2018, 2(3), 233-237 http://www.hillpublisher.com/journals/er The Effect of Disney Movie in Creating Children Stereotype as Reflected in the Little Mermaid (1989) Movie Uswatun Hasanah*, Cindy Kurnia Octaviyanti English Literature in College of Languages, Sultan Agung Islamic University (UNISSULA), Semarang, Indonesia How to cite this paper: Hasanah, U., & Abstract Octaviyanti, C. K. (2018). The Effect of Disney Movie in Creating Children Stereo- One of the ways for children learning things is by literary work. Parents usually im- type as Reflected in the Little Mermaid (1989) Movie. The Educational Review, USA, prove the children knowledge about life by literary work. Most parents choose the en- 2(3), 233-237. tertaining one such as cartoon movie. One of the most children’s favorite cartoon mov- http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/er.2018.03.005 ie is The Little Mermaid (1989) by Walt Disney. It tells the life of a mermaid who wants to be normal human. Unfortunately, the thing that people should realize is that *Corresponding author: Uswatun Hasanah, S.S, English Literature in College of not all Disney movies bring more good than harm. This paper is going to analyze two Languages, Sultan Agung Islamic University effects deal with children stereotype. First about beauty stereotype and second the ideas (UNISSULA), Semarang, Indonesia. of life stereotype. The aim of this research is that showing the stereotype effects’ ap- pear in The Little Mermaid. In conclusion not all things describe in The Little Mermaid are suitable for children's real life. The Little Mermaid has become the representative of most Disney movie by the story.
    [Show full text]
  • Reimagined: an Analysis and Retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's Works
    Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU Honors Projects Honors College 2019 Reimagined: An Analysis and Retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's Works Preston Smith [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects Part of the Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, European Languages and Societies Commons, and the Fiction Commons Repository Citation Smith, Preston, "Reimagined: An Analysis and Retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's Works" (2019). Honors Projects. 443. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects/443 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. REIMAGINED: AN ANALYSIS AND RETELLING OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON’S WORKS PRESTON SMITH HONORS PROJECT Submitted to the Honors College at Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with UNIVERSITY HONORS SPRING 2019 Abstract Where do modern retellings of classic fairytales stick to their source texts and where do they differ? Inspired by ABC’s fairytale drama Once Upon a Time, my reimagining project was born. I originally became obsessed with Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen character both through this television series and through the character’s titular story, and after that, grew to love many of his tales from the nineteenth century. It has been two hundred years since Andersen was writing, and thus society has changed in ways potentially unimaginable in Andersen’s time. I have taken three of his stories— “The Snow Queen,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Thumbelina”—and analyzed them through feminist and queer theory.
    [Show full text]
  • TALES AS OLD AS TIME: the ORIGINS of SELECTED FAIRY TALES and THEIR LEGACIES in POPULAR CULTURE by Ann Louise Jackson a Thesis
    TALES AS OLD AS TIME: THE ORIGINS OF SELECTED FAIRY TALES AND THEIR LEGACIES IN POPULAR CULTURE by Ann Louise Jackson A thesis submitted to the faculty of The University of Mississippi in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Oxford May 2018 Approved by ___________________________________ Advisor: Associate Professor Alan Arrivée ___________________________________ Reader: Dr. Timothy Yenter ___________________________________ Reader: Dr. Jaime Harker © 2018 Ann Louise Jackson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT ANN LOUISE JACKSON: Tales as Old as Time: The Origins of Selected Fairy Tales and Their Legacies in Popular Culture (Under the direction of Alan Arrivée) This thesis seeks to analyze a selection of fairy tales and their film adaptations. The research centers on the origins of these selected stories and their cinematic derivatives, with particular focus given to authorial and cultural influences as well as audience perceptions of these works. The evolution of character through these fairy tales is an area of interest in this thesis, with an emphasis on agency and the depiction of the heroines through the stories and their adaptations. Including two well-known fairy tales and one that is more obscure, this thesis aims to understand how each variation is conceived and to investigate the aspects of the fairy tales which persist as well as those which differ from other stories and adaptations. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Little Mermaid,”
    THE ORIGINALITY AND COMMONALITIES IN MERMAID TRANSFORMATION TALES: FOUQUÉ’S UNDINE, ANDERSEN’S “THE LITTLE MERMAID,” DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID, AND MIYAZAKI’S PONYO. by Brandy N. Clark, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Graduate Council of Texas State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts with a Major in Literature December 2019 Committee Members: Teya Rosenberg, Chair Graeme Wend-Walker Rebecca Bell-Metereau COPYRIGHT by Brandy N. Clark 2019 FAIR USE AND AUTHOR’S PERMISSION STATEMENT Fair Use This work is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, section 107). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of this material for financial gain without the author’s express written permission is not allowed. Duplication Permission As the copyright holder of this work I, Brandy N. Clark, authorize duplication of this work, in whole or in part, for educational or scholarly purposes only. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My first class in my master’s degree, History of Children’s Lit., with Teya Rosenberg set me on the course of writing about mermaids. Every class after that, I could somehow spin writing about fairytales, magic, or children’s education for my final seminar papers. This thesis has truly been the culmination of a two-year adventure. I want to thank Teya for opening the world of studying children’s literature to me and for being an inspiration in life. I especially want to thank her for the long nights she spent reading through my thesis critically while being extremely supportive.
    [Show full text]
  • The Little Mermaid Study Guide
    STUDY GUIDE TEACHERS’ NOTES Aimed at primary pupils, the ideas in this study guide are intended as starting points for a cross-curricular project on the film ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Key Stages 1 and 2. Many curriculum areas are covered although the focus is on English and Science. The activities seek to complement and extend the pleasure the children will have derived from a visit to the cinema and from watching the BBC programme (broadcast 10, 17 April, 1 May 4.30-5.00am) whilst at the same time meeting some of the requirements of the National Curriculum and Scottish Guidelines. The tables provided can be used for planning and record keeping. The reference page at the back has a ‘fishy’ border. Simply cover up the text and photocopy to create special sheets for the children to write up their work. FILM SYNOPSIS Ariel, a bubbly young mermaid longs to be part of the human world. She boldy goes where no mermaid has ever gone before to ‘land’ the prince of her dreams. Ignoring her father, King Triton, and her guardian crab, Sebastian, the determined mermaid strikes a deal with a devious sea witch but quickly discovers that there’s a big ‘catch’. UK release date: July 17, 1998. Cert: U. Running time: 79 mins. Distributed by: Buena Vista International (UK) Ltd. HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN From the time of the Greeks to the present day there have been tales of mermaids. Long ago mermaids were known as morgans and were thought to be very dangerous. They were said to live in wonderful castles under the sea.
    [Show full text]
  • The Psychology of a Mermaid: Understanding the Danish Psyche
    The Bridge Volume 22 Number 2 Article 7 1998 The Psychology Of A Mermaid: Understanding The Danish Psyche Karen Lassen Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thebridge Part of the European History Commons, European Languages and Societies Commons, and the Regional Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Lassen, Karen (1998) "The Psychology Of A Mermaid: Understanding The Danish Psyche," The Bridge: Vol. 22 : No. 2 , Article 7. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thebridge/vol22/iss2/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Bridge by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. The Psychology of a Mermaid: Understanding the Danish Psyche by Karen Lassen "Way out in the ocean, the water is as blue as the petals of the most beautiful cornflower and as clear as the cleanest glass, but it is very deep, deeper than an anchor cable can reach; many church steeples would have to be placed one on top of the other in order to stretch from the bottom up to the surface of the water. Down there live the Merpeople." 1 Thus begins the story of "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen. Like most fairy tales, this one can be understood from many perspectives. We could, for instance, \ look at what it tells us about the status and development of women in Denmark. We could also look at it as a Danish ver­ sion of the creation myth-the mermaid's expulsion from paradise and her attempt to reunite with God.
    [Show full text]
  • Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales, the (Illustrated with Interactive Elements (Hardback)
    ITZDZLOVPOMN < PDF » Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales, The (Illustrated with Interactive Elements (Hardback) Little Mermaid and Oth er Fairy Tales, Th e (Illustrated with Interactive Elements (Hardback) Filesize: 9.34 MB Reviews Very beneficial to all category of folks. I really could comprehended every little thing out of this created e publication. I found out this book from my dad and i encouraged this ebook to discover. (Maia O'Hara) DISCLAIMER | DMCA MHUKCH8QXQHU » Book « Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales, The (Illustrated with Interactive Elements (Hardback) LITTLE MERMAID AND OTHER FAIRY TALES, THE (ILLUSTRATED WITH INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS (HARDBACK) To get Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales, The (Illustrated with Interactive Elements (Hardback) PDF, remember to refer to the link below and save the file or gain access to other information which might be in conjuction with LITTLE MERMAID AND OTHER FAIRY TALES, THE (ILLUSTRATED WITH INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS (HARDBACK) ebook. HarperCollins Publishers Inc, United States, 2018. Hardback. Condition: New. Language: English . Brand New Book. Featuring beloved characters such as the Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, and the Snow Queen, a deluxe full-color edition of Hans Christian Andersen s classic fairytales, illustrated with stunning drawings and interactive artwork from MinaLima, the award-winning design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchise-the perfect companion for fans of the Disney live-action film The Little Mermaid which will include a mix of songs from Hamilton`s Lin- Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. Nearly two hundred years aer its publication in 1837, Hans Christian Andersen s timeless fairytales continue to inspire young imaginations.
    [Show full text]
  • Hans Christian Andersen Is Renowned for His Alluring and Captivating Fairy Tales
    Franz Hanfstaengl [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Hans Christian Andersen is renowned for his alluring and captivating fairy tales. Many people think of fairy tales as stories that are passed down from generation to generation, such as with Grimm’s Fairy tales. The Brothers Grimm didn’t make up their fairy tales and many of them were centuries old. They traveled around Germany looking for people who could tell them local fairy tales and stories to record in their books. They published these fairy tales in several volumes of books in the 1800s. Hans Christian Andersen, however, was quite a unique author. While he did write down some already-known fairy tales in his books, he made up a fair amount of his own unique fairy tales. Some of his fairy tales have become popular through animated movies, such as The Little Mermaid and Frozen—Andersen didn’t actually write a story called “Frozen,” the movie Frozen was based on his story called “The Snow Queen.” Incidentally, the 1 © 2018 Reading Is Fundamental • Content created by Simone Ribke Great Danes: Hans Christian Andersen movie The Little Mermaid ended in a drastically different way than the Andersen’s original story “The Little Mermaid” and I highly recommend that you check out Andersen’s version because I think its ending is much more powerful than the movie’s. Spoiler alert: Ariel never gets her voice back, never wins Prince Eric, and dies in the end by turning into sea foam. Andersen also wrote many fairy tales that you’ve probably known since you were little, like “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Other fairy tales, like “The Wild Swans” are less well known.
    [Show full text]