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Well, it’s not so easy to give an answer when you ask a stupid question!

Hans Christian Andersen

The naive was only a part of my fairy tales; humour was the real salt in them.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Fairy Tale Real Salt
I know what you want. It is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way, and it will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess. – The sea witch.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Princess Sea Stupid
There was once a merchant who was so rich that he might have paved the whole street, and a little alley besides, with silver money. But he didn’t do it–he knew better how to use his money than that.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Littles might Money Street Use
Being born in a duck yard does not matter, if only you are hatched from a swan’s egg.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Duckling Eggs Swans Ugly
A human life is a story told by God.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Condolences Grief Human Life Sympathy
A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Destiny Eternal Mermaid Winning
Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Flower Nature Philosophical
It was clear to me, as I glanced back over my earlier life, that a loving Providence watched over me, that all was directed for me by a higher power.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Clear Higher Power Providence
Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Enjoy Improvement Life Self
Well, it’s not so easy to give an answer when you ask a stupid question!
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Answers Giving Stupid
Brave soldier, never fear. Even though your death is near.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Brave Brave Soldiers Soldier
Then she saw a star fall, leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. “Someone is dying,” thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only one who had ever loved her, and who was now dead, had told her that when a star falls, a soul was going up to God.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Fall Girl Grandmother Someone Stars
I have shed pewter tears! It is too melancholy! Rather let me go to the wars and lose arms and legs! It would at least be a change.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Change Legs Tears War
I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Glorious Happiness Knowing Stars Years
Farewell, farewell,” said the swallow, with a heavy heart, as he left the warm countries, to fly back into Denmark. There he had a nest over the window of a house in which dwelt the writer of fairy tales. The swallow sang “Tweet, tweet,” and from his song came the whole story.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Country Farewell Over Song
Happy domestic life is like a beautiful summer’s evening; the heart is filled with peace; and everything around derives a peculiar glory.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Beautiful Glory Happiness Summer
Well, yes: people write poems when they are in love, but a wise man will not print them.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Men Wise Writing
Don’t ask me how I am! I understand nothing more!
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Ask Me More Understanding
Each time I think that the song is ended … something higher and better begins for me.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Higher Song Thinking
Some are created for beauty, and some for use; and there are some which one can do without altogether.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Altogether Beauty Created Some
She thought, “He whom I love more than my father or mother, he of whom I am always thinking, and in whose hands I would so willingly trust my lifelong happiness.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Father Happen Mother Winning
Every town, like every man, has its own countenance; they have a common likeness and yet are different; one keeps in his mind all their peculiar touches.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Different Men Mind Precular
Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, lives after the body has been turned to dust. It rises up through the clear, pure air beyond the glittering stars.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Air Clear Dust Glitter Stars
And the Top spoke no more of his old love; for that dies away when the beloved objects has lain for five years in a roof gutter and got wet through; yes, one does not know her again when one meets her in the dust box.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Dust Gutter Love Spoke Top Years
We haven’t yet got eyes that can gaze into all the splendour that God has created, but we shall get them one day; and that will be the finest fairy tale of all, for we shall be in it ourselves.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Day Eye Fairy One Spiritual Talks
It is out of reality that the most peculiar tale of all is born … Some call me the Elder Granny, others – the Dryad, but my real name is Memory. It is I who sits on a tree that keeps on growing, and growing, it is I who reminisces and tells stories.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Memories Names Real
I cannot bear it longer! Now, I know what it is to have a visit from one’s old thoughts, with what they may bring with them! I have had a visit from mine, and you may be sure it is no pleasant thing in the end; I was at last about to jump down from the drawers.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Longer Old Pleasant Sure Thoughts