The Ice-Maiden

"The Ice-Maiden" is an 1861 fairy tale (short story) by the Danish writer, Hans Christian Andersen. The story was printed in English, via a translation by Fanny Fuller, by KING & BAIRD 1863.

Summary

In "The Ice-Maiden", written towards the end of Hans Christian Andersen’s career, Anderson tells the tale of Rudy, a boy who lost both his parents and goes to live with his uncle. The reader is first introduced to Rudy as he sells toy houses made by his grandfather. Eventually the reader learns that Rudy’s mother was killed when she fell into a crevasse while she was holding Rudy, but that Rudy was saved by a kiss from the ice maiden. Throughout the story, the ice maiden is unwavering in her attempts to possess him. As the story progresses, it follows Rudy into adulthood. He meets and falls in love with a girl, Babette, and they are to be married, but the ice maiden finally succeeds in winning his heart and he drowns on the night before the wedding. He is then made king consort to the Ice Maiden.

External links

• Free to read online at NovelShelf
• The Ice-Maiden: and Other Tales. by H. C. Andersen

v t e Hans Christian Andersen Bibliography Collections Fairy Tales Told for Children (1835–1837) Fairy Tales Told for Children (1838–1841) New Fairy Tales Stories "The Angel" "The Elf Mound" "The Emperor's New Clothes" "The Fir-Tree" "The Flying Trunk" "The Galoshes of Fortune" "The Garden of Paradise" "The Goblin and the Grocer" "Golden Treasure" "The Ice-Maiden" "The Little Match Girl" "The Little Mermaid" "The Most Incredible Thing" "The Nightingale" "Ole Lukøje" "The Princess and the Pea" "The Red Shoes" "The Shadow" "The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep" "The Snow Queen" "The Snowman" "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" "The Story of a Mother" "The Sweethearts; or, The Top and the Ball" "The Swineherd" "The Tallow Candle" "The Teapot" "Thumbelina" "The Tinderbox" "The Ugly Duckling" "The Wild Swans" Novels The Improvisatore The Two Baronesses