Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) - 1900

xxiv+524 pages with frontispiece, illustrations by Hans Tegner. Folio (12 1/4" x 8 1/2") bound in original publisher's red cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover with color pictorial to cover. Introduction by Edumnd Gosse. Translted from the Danish by H L Braekstad. First edition. Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children: his stories express themes that transcend age and nationality. Andersen's fairy tales, of which no fewer than 3381 works have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. His most famous fairy tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Match Girl" and "Thumbelina". His stories have inspired ballets, plays, and animated and live-action films. Condition: Gift dedication tipped to front paste-down, corners bumped and rubbed through, spine ends rubbed through, hinges rubbed and beginning to split at head, edge wear soiled, some pages tape repaired, soiled, shaken else a poor copy.