Comments on: The Tinderbox

By: dalles

dalles — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:30:11 +0000

this is so long

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:00:59 +0000

I remembered this story as a child. I kept telling my husband about this story but he did not know it. I kept thinking they were Cats not Dogs, but I was only a child when I used to read it. When I read it again on this site I remembered the story. I was given a very old Fairy Tale book by my grand mother, it had a blue cover which had been carved with fairytale figures. I read this book over and over again. I have lost the book unfortunately, It must be worth a lot of money now, and it was in immaculate condition, I loved this story, and many others it was so nice to find it on the internet again.

By: caleb

caleb — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:32:37 +0000

bad Soldier

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 06:11:01 +0000

i love it!!!!!

By: isabella

isabella — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:42:38 +0000

it is a great story,but the end it is harsh.it is the best story everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

By: bob cvzfgrtq rew

bob cvzfgrtq rew — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:49:16 +0000

The Boy Who Flew Too HighThe Boy WhThe Boy Who Flew Too Higho Flew Too HighThe Boy Who FlewThe Boy Who Flew Too High Too HighThe Boy Who FlewThe Boy Who Flew Too High Too High

By: Lanny

Lanny — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:07:55 +0000

Why be happy losing the parents? Foolish princess!!!!!

By: Bertie

Bertie — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:38:18 +0000

Dear Alan, I think adults notice the violence much more than the children. Also, I think think the moral is that there is no moral…. sometimes you notice what isn’t there more than what’s there. It’s more of a picture of the world as it is (in Andersen’s view) than how it should be.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:00:51 +0000

It is much more graphically violent than I remember from my childhood 50+ years ago but the point is that soldiers have only a very direct way of dealing with problems – which we have seen in Iraq, Afghamistan and other places recently. Perhaps that was HCA’s point, but I don’t see a moral as the soldier gets everything even the daughter of the people he’s killed.

By: joanne

joanne — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:59:44 +0000

I remember hearing this story over 60 years ago, i remembered the dogs with eyes like saucers and the tinder box and i know my grandchildren will love it as i did.

By: BIGBEAR

BIGBEAR — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:05:22 +0000

tHIS STORY IS HARSH

By: Bertie

Bertie — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:34:03 +0000

Dear Bailey, I agree that it is hard to make sense of the Tinderbox because there does not seem to be any morality to it. I think Andersen is showing us a world without any moral or spiritual values where all that people care about is money and power…. it’s not meant to be very nice… see it as a warning.

By: Bailey

Bailey — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:25:00 +0000

It was good, but did there have to be so much killing??? I don’t think there was any use for the dogs to kill the king and queen… but it was fine.

By: Bertie

Bertie — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:45:39 +0000

Dear Maria, the Tinderbox is a classic children’s story, that has been told many times to children down the years . I don’t think anyone has complained about the violence in this story before, as it’s all rather an aside, and in a magical context that makes it very unreal.

People have pointed out the total lack of a moral, which is puzzling, seems to be a harsh judgement on the world, and is what I think this story is about. Hans Christian Andersen is implying that we can’t always expect people to behave in a “moral” way – for instance the soldier’s friends just desert him when he has no money left. The cutting off of the witch’s head is mentioned in just the same quick, off hand, by the way, sort of manner. It’s not going to disturb you, but it might puzzle you, stay in your mind, and give you an interesting angle on the world. I honestly don’t believe any child is ever going to lose a moment’s sleep over the witch in this story.

By: Marla

Marla — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:58:08 +0000

I wish this website would give warnings for graphic content. Cutting the witch’s head off with a sword was pretty surprising and brutal. At the end, when the dogs kill so many people by throwing them into the air until they are dashed to pieces is also very brutal.

I found this story not suitable for young children. Please add some sort of warnings for killing or mutilation.

By: star

star — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:27:54 +0000

great i love it

By: amy

amy — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:21:16 +0000

ccccccccccccccccccccccccccoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllll

By: Bertie

Bertie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:14:03 +0000

Dear Charmian, I agree that the ending of the TInderbox is a bit harsh.

By: Charmian

Charmian — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:45:28 +0000

I think it was very unkind of the dog to lift the king and queen.
But good story anyway.

By: Kevan

Kevan — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:01:59 +0000

Great!!!

By: Jacab

Jacab — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:20:49 +0000

I wondder that if anybody have found some missing piece in this story’s MP3 file, or just my download program was wrong. I am not good at using computer, and my English is poor too.
But I like this website, all of the story can recall my childhood and studies that I had learned when I was a teenager.
I had downloaded a lot of material from here . I am thankful for all.
I usually bring my lap top to local library using public resoure to download your story. Everytime I download 5 item in same time. Hopefuly, It is not the cause to make this popular website into circular trouble.
PS: seem have mistake in “The Ugly Duckling ” the tale MP3 too.

By: Charmian

Charmian — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:57:56 +0000

Nice man! Wicked and classic!

By: chynna

chynna — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:46:28 +0000

what a impressive story

THE TINDERBOX:/

By: dp

dp — Sat, 02 May 2009 20:26:30 +0000

hE DIDNT PUT THE THIRD DOG ON THE APRON

By: Bertie

Bertie — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:08:52 +0000

Hello Sadie, Glad you liked the Tinderbox and the ending !

By: sadie

sadie — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:54:04 +0000

I think it’s the best story we have ever read by Hans Christian Andersen
I really enjoyed reading it also i like the dogs if I was the soldier I would be scared of those creepy look’in dogs also I love the ending of the story.I think its great how storys get good endings i really hate it when someone dies.I enjoyed talking to you

By: sadie and emily

sadie and emily — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:50:16 +0000

I like this story I did it on a report about Hans Christian Andersen i really enjoyed reading it

By: Bertie

Bertie — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:12:41 +0000

Salwa, not all stories have a moral and The Tinderbox perhaps tells you not to expect that everything that happens in life follows a clear moral.

By: Salwa

Salwa — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:14:09 +0000

hey,
what is the moral in it .maybe you should give the summary of the middle of the story.
bye.

By: simon

simon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:32:21 +0000

i liked the story o bauot the tindr bocs