Among the most beloved of all fairy tales, the stories of Hans Christian Andersen delight us with their originality, whimsy and humorous treatment of human faults and foibles--vanity,snobbery, greed and the like. Often these human failings are the villains of the stories rather than the witch or ogre of traditional tales...

Now young readers (and listeners) can enjoy the special magic of Andersen fairy tales in this selection of four of his most popular stories. Included are "The Little Mermaid," the story of a young mermaid princess who falls in love with a human prince; "Great Claus and Little Claus," about a clever young man who turns a series of misfortunes into a fortune; "The Tinder Box," recounting the adventures of a soldier and a magical tinder box that grants any wish; and "The Swineherd," about a poor prince who wishes to marry the emperor"s daughter.

For this edition, all four stories have been newly reset in large,easy-to-read type and are enhanced with six new full-page illustrations by Thea Kliros.

The Little Mermaid

The Tinder Box

Great Claus and Little Claus

The Swineherd