Hans Christian Andersen Quotes

language, which he had learnt from his mother. The corn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests, in the midst

It does not matter that one has been born in the henyard as long as one has lain in a swan’s egg.

In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-house

The stork walking about on his long red legs chattered in the Egyptian language, which he had learnt from his mother. The corn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests, in the midst of which were deep pools. It was, indeed, delightful to walk about in the country. In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-house close by a deep river, and from the house down to the water side grew great burdock leaves, so high, that under the tallest of them a little child could stand upright. The spot was as wild as the centre of a thick wood. In this snug retreat sat a duck on her nest, watching for her young

child, looking through bubbles into the future; now those bright bubbles were all behind him. Once more he had

"He found whole figures which represented a written word; but he never could manage to represent just the word he wanted - that word was 'eternity', and the Snow Queen had said, "If you can discover that figure, you shall be your own master, and I will make you a present of the whole world and a pair of new skates." But he could not find it out."

I can give her no greater power than she has already, the woman said; don’t you see how strong that is? How men and animals are obliged to serve her and how well she has got through the world, barefoot as she is.

They could see she was a real Princess and no question about it, now that she had felt one pea all the way through twenty mattresses and twenty more feather beds. Nobody but a Princess could be so delicate.

"Yes, it is wonderful to be alive! Indeed, the Bottle inwardly sang of all this, as do young poets, who frequently also know nothing about the things of which they sing." From The Bottle Neck

Eines Nachts, als sie in ihrem hübschen Bettchen lag, kam durch das Fenster, in dem eine Scheibe zerbrochen war, eine häßliche Kröte hereingehüpft; sie hüpfte gerade auf den Tisch hernieder, wo Däumelieschen lag und unter dem roten Rosenblatte schlief.

Oh, how I wish I were tall enough to go on the sea,” said the fir tree. “What is the sea, and what does it look like?” “It would take too much time to explain,” said the stork, flying quickly away. “Rejoice in thy youth,” said the sunbeam, “rejoice in thy fresh growth, and the young life that is in thee.

in a single instant, can the consciousness of the sin that has been committed in thoughts, words, and actions of our past life, be unfolded to us. When once the conscience is awakened, it springs up in the heart spontaneously, and God awakens the conscience when we least expect it. Then we can find no excuse for ourselves; the deed is there and bears witness against us.

What ticks in the clock, beats here with strong strokes of the hammer. It is Bloodless, who drank life from human thought and thereby got limbs of metals, stone and wood; it is Bloodless, who by human thought gained strength, which man himself does not physically possess. Bloodless reigns in Motala, and through the large foundries and factories he extends his hard limbs, whose joints and parts consist of wheel within wheel, chains, bars, and thick iron wires.

Everything you look at can become a fairy tale and you can get a story from everything you touch.

word is a shadow,” said the shadow, “and as such it must speak.