Ole Lukøje facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Ole Lukøje" |
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Vilhelm Pedersen drew this representation of the Sandman for the fairytale "Ole Lukøje" (Mr. Sandman) by Hans Christian Andersen.
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| Author | Hans Christian Andersen |
| Original title | "Ole Lukøje" |
| Country | Denmark |
| Language | Danish |
| Genre(s) | Litereary fairy tale |
| Published in | Fairy Tales Told for Children. New Collection. Third Booklet (Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Ny Samling. Tredie Hefte) |
| Publication type | Fairy tale collection |
| Publisher | C. A. Reitzel |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 20 December 1841 |
| Followed by | "The Swineherd" |
"Ole Lukøje" (Danish: Ole Lukøje) is a famous fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. It's based on an old folk story about a magical creature known as the Sandman. This friendly character helps children fall asleep.
Ole Lukøje visits children and shows them dreams. The kind of dream depends on how good the child was that day. He carries two special umbrellas. One umbrella has beautiful pictures inside. He opens this one over good children, giving them wonderful dreams all night long. The other umbrella has no pictures. He holds this one over children who were naughty. They sleep soundly but don't dream at all.
The name "Ole Lukøje" has a special meaning. "Ole" is a common Danish boy's name. "Lukøje" means "close eye" in Danish. So, his name basically means "Ole Close-Eye."
In the story, Ole Lukøje visits a boy named Hjalmar every night for a whole week. Each night, he tells Hjalmar different stories.
Ole Lukøje's Mysterious Brother
Ole Lukøje is later revealed to be a kind of dream god. On the last night, Sunday, he tells Hjalmar about his brother. This brother is also called Ole Lukøje. However, this other Ole Lukøje is different. He only visits someone once in their life.
When his brother visits, he takes the person away on his horse. As they ride, he tells them stories. He knows only two stories. One story is incredibly beautiful, beyond anything anyone can imagine. The other story is very strange and not pleasant at all.
Ole Lukøje lifts Hjalmar up to the window. He shows Hjalmar his brother, the other Ole Lukøje. He explains that people also call his brother "Death."
Ole Lukøje tells Hjalmar that his brother doesn't look scary like in some picture books. He isn't just bones. Instead, his coat is decorated with silver. He wears a fancy uniform, like a hussar (a type of soldier). A black velvet cape flies behind him as he rides his horse. Ole Lukøje points out how fast he gallops along.
