Lesser Known Hans Christian Andersen Stories Quiz

Answer: He heard that people whose names ended in "sen" could never become anythin

Hearing one of the rich children say that people whose named ended in "sen" would never become anything made the little boy sad. He knew that his father's name, and therefore also his, ended in "sen".

In a clever plot-twist at the end of the story, Hans Christian Andersen revealed that the little boy was none other than the famous sculptor Thorvaldsen.

Answer: He was the boy

The Angel, picking up another child who has died, sees the discarded flower left behind by the sick boy who died earlier, and decides to bring it along. After he's told the story, the child asks him how he knows, and he reveals that he was the little boy.

Answer: Charles

When he was little he couldn't pronounce his name properly so "Charles" became "Tuk". It was all well for those who knew him but not for strangers.

Answer: Sorrow

Sorrow comes at its own terms, in its own time, but it always comes!

Answer: The bees

At first he tried to rally the flower-spirits but, thinking they didn't care, he flew to get the bees. However, the flower-spirits did indeed care and killed the wicked brother in his sleep.

Answer: The mayor

The mayor thought the poor washer-woman was a drunkard because she would frequently drink something (that's probably supposed to be brandy) in order to stay warm in the freezing cold water. However, the mayor himself would also drink strong wine but that wasn't the same kind of drinking, in his mind.

Answer: They were going to have a name change

The "maidens" weren't actual human beings, rather were they a type of paving tool. In the story the two maidens have just heard that they were to be called 'hand-rammers' instead of 'maidens'.

Answer: The invisible holy bell

The bell is simply described as "the invisible holy bell". A confectioner hung a bell in a tree, but that bell was far too small. A man came up with the story of the owl, and was made 'Bellringer to the World' (people didn't get much wiser). One of the confirmands wondered if it was the spring making the bell-sound.

Answer: Denmark

The first clue to the true nature of the swan's nest comes already in the first line where it's described as being 'between the Baltic and the North Sea'. The swans of the nest are those Danes, both individuals and groups, who came to fame throughout the world.

Answer: The Queen's son

This fairytale tells the story of a queen who loves roses more than anything. When she is very sick, a wise man says that if she's brought the loveliest rose in the world then she shall never die. First people come with actual roses, but they're the wrong kind.

Then people start bringing "poetic roses", those of tales and stories. In the end it's the Queen's own son who provides the answer and reveals that the rose is... you'll have to read the fairytale yourself to find out.