There was once a theatre director who lived on an ocean liner and he was very happy. He was a theatre director and he carried all his actors in a small suitcase: they were puppets. He had always had a very joyful nature, but if he was especially happy today, it was thanks to an encounter with a young engineer...

In Denmark, there is an old castle called Kronborg. Situated on the coast, in summer boats come here from all over the world, but the reason for the castle's renown is hidden in its cellars. It is a statue of Holger Danske. Everyone in Denmark knows his history and the legend says that one day, the statue will come to life.

In the city of Florence is a bronze statue of a boar, from who's mouth runs the water that is collected by the people of Florence. One evening, a poor boy came to drink and found a little lettuce and a few chestnuts on the ground, which became his supper. He then fell asleep on the animal's back, but when midnight sounded, the animal came to life. And so their adventure began!

Once upon a time there was an angel from heaven who flew above the earth with a leaf of paradise in his hands. He dropped it while kissing it and the tiny leaf landed on the earth in the middle of a forest, among thistles and nettles. Here is the tale of a most mysterious plant...

Why were the fables created? Hans Christian Andersen tells the story of the wise men of ancient times who ingeniously discovered how to tell people the truth without being blunt to their faces...

In Gudenau, in the forest of Silkeborg, lived a farmer, Jeppe Jans, and his son, Ib. In winter, when there was nothing to do in the fields, Jeppe Jans made clogs and Ib tried to do the same. Not far away, lived the boatman and his daughter, Christina. She would often accompany her father on his travels by boat, but when the journey was too long and he did not want to take her, she stayed with Ib. It was then, during their early childhood, that their friendship began.

Anne Lisbeth was a beautiful young woman, but she gave birth to a repugnantly ugly child. That is why she gave it into the care of the wife of a man who worked in the fields. This woman cared for the child well and received some money to pay for his upkeep. Meanwhile, Anne Lisbeth had been admitted to the count's castle and looked after the count's child. Her own son was forced to grow up without her, without his mother: here are both their destinies.

Once lived an old woman who was so poor that she could not afford to buy coffin for her death husband. She was desperate and hopeless and the only thing that kept her going was the faith in God. She prayed for help and grace and as a miraculous sign from above, a magical little bird came through the window. The bird began singing so beautifully that the old woman got carried away to a better place at least for a while. But what happened when the song ended? Whose was this bird? "The Poor W...

Apart from the milkmaid's donkey, no one paid much attention to the mighty thistle that lived just behind the hedge, outside of the seigniorial garden. Until the day that a beautiful Scottish lady of noble birth asked the son of the house to pick her a flower – such an honour for the thistle! It certainly merited being transplanted into a pot, or at least inside the garden! At least, that is what he thought...

A family of toads lived in a very deep well: it was so deep that, from the top, you could not even see the surface of the water. One of the young toads dreamed of knowing what there was outside of the well, so, ignoring his mother's warnings, he used the full water bucket that rose to the top to leave the well and go out and discover the outside world, so dangerous for a young toad!

A scholar from a cold country lived in a hot country, but he found it difficult to adapt to the climate. In the daytime, his shadow became tiny: it really was too hot for him. So, he stayed at home and went out in the evening. As the temperature went down, the town came to life. One night, the scholar was woken by a mysterious and intriguing light. What was it? How could it be explained? That is what he would try to discover.

Rasmus was a bitter, pessimistic young boy who was nothing like his good and pious mother. Rasmus was with a free spirit and he could not bear living in a small town. So he set on a long, exhausting journey – leaving behind his home, his family and his childhood friend Johanne. Years passed and Rasmus returned. But the old Rasmus' spirit was not the same. The man was put under a spell. He was either going to be saved or the enchantment was going to kill him. The Old Johanne will tell us ho...