The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep" |
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Paper chimney sweep cut by Andersen
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| Author | Hans Christian Andersen |
| Original title | "Hyrdinden og Skorstensfejeren" |
| Country | Denmark |
| Language | Danish |
| Genre(s) | Literary fairy tale |
| Published in | New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Third Collection (Nye Eventyr. Første Bind. Tredie Samling) |
| Publication type | Fairy tale collection |
| Publisher | C.A. Reitzel |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 7 April 1845 |
| Preceded by | "The Jumpers" |
| Followed by | "Holger the Dane" |
The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep (in Danish: Hyrdinden og Skorstensfejeren) is a lovely fairy tale written by the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. He wrote many well-known stories like "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling." This story is about two small china figures, a porcelain shepherdess and a chimney sweep, who fall in love. But their happiness is threatened by another figure who wants to marry the shepherdess. The tale was first printed in April 1845.
The Story of the China Figurines
This fairy tale begins with two beautiful china figurines. A sweet shepherdess and a brave chimney sweep stand side by side. They are placed on a table and are deeply in love.
However, their romance faces a big problem. A carved wooden figure of a satyr lives on a nearby cabinet. This satyr, who has a very long and funny name, wants the shepherdess to be his wife.
The satyr asks a porcelain Chinaman on the table for permission. This Chinaman thinks of himself as the shepherdess's grandfather. When the Chinaman agrees to the marriage, the shepherdess and the chimney sweep decide to run away.
They bravely climb down a table leg to the floor. They hide inside a toy theater for a while. When they come out, they see that the Chinaman has fallen to the floor while trying to catch them.
The two lovers then begin a difficult climb. They go through a stove pipe all the way to the roof! A bright star in the sky helps them feel brave during their journey.
Once on the rooftop, the shepherdess looks out at the huge world. She becomes very scared by how big it is. She tells the chimney sweep that she wants to go back to the table. The chimney sweep tries to convince her to stay. But because he loves her so much, he agrees to her wish. He guides her safely back to the table.
When they return, they find that the Chinaman has been fixed. But he was repaired in a way that he can no longer force the shepherdess to marry the satyr. So, the shepherdess and the chimney sweep are finally safe and can be together forever.
When the Story Was Published
Hans Christian Andersen's tale was first published in Copenhagen, Denmark. This happened on April 11, 1845. It was part of a collection called New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Third Collection.
Other stories in that same book included "The Elf Mound" and "The Red Shoes". The story was printed again in 1849 and then in 1863. Since then, "The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep" has been translated into many languages. People all over the world can read this charming tale.
Other Versions of the Story
This fairy tale has inspired many other works. These are called adaptations. They include films, cartoons, music, and even sculptures.
- The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird (1952) is a French animated film. It is loosely based on Andersen's story.
- A cartoon version was made in 1965 by Lev Atamanov.
- Frederik Magle created an album in 1994 called The song is a Fairytale. It features songs based on Andersen's tales, including this one.
- An artist's book version of the story was published in 2012.
- You can find a sculpture in Odense, Denmark, where Andersen was born. It shows the shepherdess and the chimney sweep from the story.
- The popular Pixar movie Toy Story (1995) has a similar idea. It shows toys coming to life when no one is watching them.
