The Queen, the Princes and the Mermaid

A sister struggles to break the spell that has turned her ten brothers into swans; a mermaid leaves her underwater world behind for love; a girl journeys across unknown lands to rescue her friend from the clutches of the Snow Queen, who has imprisoned his heart in ice. These five renowned tales are some of the most magical and inspiring to spring from Hans Christian Andersen's rich imagination.

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, the son of a poor shoemaker. The king helped to pay for his education, enabling him to become a short-story writer, novelist and playwright. He remains best known for his fairy tales, a selection of which is included in this book.