Evening star., 1936-03-28

IA
nj Of interest to every American
child as well as to every adult
who cherishes memories Of
happy hours spent with the worlds
greatest teller Of wonder and fairy
tales.
It Is the birthday celebration of
Hans Christian Andersen of Denmark
and the world-a man who has be-
come almost legendary figure so
great is his peculiar fame and so
enshrouded is he in the mists of his
own design.
Andersen put his literary fate in the
hands of little children and all was
we'll For little children are the most
steadfast audience in the world, and
childhood memories forever come
crowding back The greatest tribute
to Andersen's genius is that maturity
renders the reading of his tales none
the less fascinating.
American children always have been
lovers of Andersen's stories. But, more
than this, they have been lovers of
Andersen the man, and 1t was in 1878
the year of his death. that the chill
dren of the United States collected
sum Of money for his supposed neces-
stiles. At Andersen's S srequest the gift
took the form of books for his library.
The incident touched the writer deep
ly and then and there was sealed the
special interest of America in Hans
Christian Andersen.
Andersen wrote a great deal other
than his fairy stories, but ne Is re-
membered by nothing save the latter.
When his "Improvisatore." "Only
Fiddler" and Picture Book Without
Pictures" are dust, big Claus and
Little Claus" "The Tinderbox," "The
Ugly Duckling," The Fir Tree" and
his scores of other wonder tales will
live on.
Where is the child who has not
thrilled to the epic of "The Steadfast
Tin Soldier" adored THE Snow
Queen" laughed at the droll EN-
peror's New Clothes" listened with
open-mouthed astonishment to the
tale of THE Flying Trunk" wept
copious tears with Karen and THE
Red Shoes?"
Hans Andersen was born April 2,
1905. of. according to one biographer,
poor and shiftless parents" The ad-
vantages of a regular schooling were
denied him, and it is recorded that he
had but few playmates. Like many
another man who has climbed the
pinnacle of literary fame without the
early aid of officially appointed teach
ers and professors, Andersen satisfied
his craving for mental stimulus by
voracious reading. AS boy he delved
deeply into the La Fontaines Fables"
and the Arabian Nights"
IN 1919 Andersen forsook his native
town of Odense to seek his fortune
| in Copenhagen. His desire to gain
employment in the theater had been
fired by the visit of dramatic COM
pany, and upon his arrival at the capi-
tai of Denmark. with SIS in his
/ pocket, he presented letter of intro
duction to danseuse of the Royal
Theater. She promptly took Ander-
sen for lunatic and out he went!
The next four years were lean ones
for the struggling youth. However,
/ through the interest of some influ
! ential friends he managed to gain a
scholarship from the King, permitting
/ him to prepare for the university. He
worked on unremittingly and in 1929,
though he still showed no spark OF
| genius, his patient friends enabled
him to publish his first book, bearing
the overwhelming title of "a Journey
on Foot From Holm Canal to the
East Point of Amager." 1t had little
merit, but its very publication gave
the young man heart and in 1881
he brought out a volume of poems
called Fantasies and Sketches"
The latter work, said by one present.
day critic to have been "the product
Of a journey to Jutland and silly
love affair."" was so harShly received
that Andersen ran off to Germany
to gain new inspiration. Travel ever
was to be Andersen's greatest stimulus,
and he became an inveterate wan
derer. The German trip, early In
life, inspired his first fine work.
"Shilouettes." Then followed I'm
provisatore" and scattered pieces.
It was in 1885 that Andersen began
writing his wonder stories which, it
is known, did not have his own very
great approval. The first thin volume,
which Andersen offered apologetically,
contained such classic tales as Big
Claus and Little Claus" and "The
Tinderbox." For 81 years he con-
tinued to publish these graceful
fancies, building for himself, to some