The Top And The Ball

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) is a famous Danish writer, well-known for his fairy tales. The most popular are "The Ugly Duckling", "The Snow Queen", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes" etc. Andersen's tales are still popular all over the world. "The Top and the Ball" or "The Sweethearts" was first published in 1843. This story was inspired by Andersen's relationship with Riborg Voight, who rejected his proposal of marriage. The main characters of the fairy tale are the top and the ball, who met in a box of toys. The Top loved the Ball and wanted to marry it, but the Ball thought too much of itself and refused. What happened next you will find out, when read the whole story.