
Discovering Hans Christian Andersen's 'lost fairytale'
In October 2012, a historian found a misplaced pamphlet in the Danish Archives. It was a story called The Tallow Candle, believed to be Hans Christian Andersen’s first fairytale.
In October 2012, a local historian stumbled upon a misplaced pamphlet in the Danish Archives.
It was a story called the Tallow Candle and is believed to be Hans Christian Andersen’s first fairytale.
Ejnar Askgaard, Curator and Senior Researcher at Museum Odense, verified the document.
He speaks to Surya Elango.
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(Photo: Hans Christian Andersen. Credit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection via Getty Images)
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Witness History
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