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Hans Christian Andersen (2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.

Andersen's fairy tales, consisting of 156 stories across nine volumes and translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well.

Considering recent success of the Grimm's Fairy Tales set and growing interest in the subject, it is impossible to overlook H.C. Andersen and his .

So, by popular demand and without further ado, allow me to introduce six famous tales that would make beautiful stamps.

The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories.

"The Snow Queen" has been adapted into numerous action and animated films around the world, stage plays, operas, video games and so on. It also inspired many other works like Disney's .

This is the story of the girl Gerda who tries to rescue her friend Kai from the Snow Queen, who travels throughout the world with the snow.

Art by Elena Ringo

Thumbelina is about a tiny girl and her adventures with marriage-minded toads, moles, and cockchafers. She successfully avoids their intentions before falling in love with a flower-fairy prince just her size.

Art by fabiolagarza

The story tells of a plain-looking little bird (the Ugly Duckling) born in a barnyard. His brothers and sisters as well as the other birds and animals on the farm tease him for being plain and ugly, so he runs off to live with a flock of wild ducks. In the end, he grows to be a beautiful swan, proving that others should never define you.

Art by Scott Gustafsonon

This is a story about a tin soldier's love for a paper ballerina. It has been adapted to various media including ballet and animated film, including Disney's .

Art by Mission

This is a story about a young woman whose royal ancestry is established by a test of her sensitivity - namely, by putting a small pea under a pile of mattresses and seeing if she notices it.

Art by Edmund Dulac

This is a story about a vain emperor who hires two swindlers, who pose as weavers. They offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those who are stupid or incompetent. The emperor falls for that and ends up being exposed before the entire townsfolk, and the phrase "the Emperor has no clothes!" became an idiom in many languages.

Art by Dave Clegg

was another obvious pick, but Denmark already has a location stamp with the famous statue, so I am leaving it out.