A boy called Hans

Once upon a time, when people used to listen to the stories that the wind wanted to share with them, there was a boy born in Fionia island, in Denmark.

‘Which boy?’ and ‘Why is this boy from such an old time so special to know about?’ These are two questions that may come to mind while reading these lines. And then again there is another thought which will most probably come to your mind. ‘Oh, it’s a fairy tale. No time for fairy tales. Time is running, clock is ticking.’ ‘The wind telling stories... this is fairy tales for young, really young kids.’

So, we are not young kids any more. Biologically at least. But what has this got to do with remembering how reviving it may be to let ourselves remember that youth may inhabit the fixed serious environment of adulthood?

I am just asking. No need to be given the answer. Because deep down it is a matter of personal choice. Either you choose to feel only old enough not to ‘listen to the wind’s stories’ or you choose to ‘remember that listening to the wind may not be only for young kids, after all’.

You know my dear readers, today I remembered one of my most favorite quotes. ‘There is no greater agony than an untold story bearing inside us’. This is a quote of Maya Angelou. I have always believed that the power of words lies into quotes which have survived throughout years. If a set of words remains as a steady, popular point of reference for people, then this set of words talks to the human soul.

The quote of Maya Angelou on the power of a story proves that each single creature, either human or non human is a story. And if this story is not expressed, is not narrated to others, is not shared and most importantly is not given the opportunity to communicate with all the other stories, then it turns into a burden. This kind of burden that makes our reality lose its taste, lose its breath and turn into a still boat anchored into a swamp.

And then after the quote, I remembered this boy born on April, 2nd in 1805 in Fionia island in Denmark. This boy was Hans Christian Andersen. Does the name ring a bell? Do stories like ‘The princess and the Pea”, “The Emperor’s new Suit”, ‘The Brave Tin Soldier”, ‘The Ugly Duckling’ have a tickling effect on your box of hidden or long forgotten memories?

Hans was a kid carrying the heavy ‘burden’ of an extraordinary imagination. A ‘burden’ that cost him being called names like ‘fool boy’, ‘the cloud-walking boy’, ‘the poor helplessly romantic boy’. His mum was the only one supporting him. A boy orphan of his dad, entered the working field from his very early age. He tried to learn his dad’s job, the one of a shoe-maker but he didn’t make it. So after school he joined a tailor but he failed there as well. He did not fulfil the expectations of mastering in this job of sewing. So, at the age of 30, Hans went to Copenhagen, having only 30 Danish Kroner in his pocket. His only fortune was the equivalent of 4.02 euros- if we wish to have a solid idea of what this meant- and his passion for telling stories. He had decided to make a living through being a storyteller and sitting the exams for actors held by the Royal Theatre of Copenhagen. But it was his ‘non-promising’ appearance that cost him a place in the Theatre. So his ‘fairy’ life began. Christian spent all his life storytelling. His fairy tales were either drawn from the rich Danish culture or created all out of scratch in his mind.

His main heroes and heroines are poor, deprived of money people with no real chances of enjoying a proper meal. You see, society at those times was run by money earnings, belongings and origins. How familiar does this royame of Ownership in terms of materialism seem ? I am just wondering!

But Hans’ heroes and heroines owned something that could not and still can’t be put on the scales. They owned what we usually call ethical values or moral principles. They owned kindness, they had talent, they owned the ability of feeling generous for the fact that they could love and be loved no matter the dish of meal that would expect them on a table or not. And this is something that cannot be owned due to money earnings, materialistic fortune or origins. This is something owned because you choose to serve it.

Hans’ works display the real icon and situation of the low –social class of the 19th century and this is why his works and stories have found their place in the top representation of Danish literary production of the 19th century. Hans brought the air of the light satire in narrations which can shed light onto the real situation. Hans taught us that happiness goes hand in hand with misery. It is something like Halil Gibran said so many years afterwards. ‘What makes you happy today, may give you tears tomorrow’. Hans reminds us that it is ok to be sad, feel disappointed, frustrated or even something of a failure. But at the same time he shows that it is in our hands to ‘listen to the stories’ which have not still been told to us. Our lives have stories to tell us, but it is a matter of choice isn’t it? You can either hear or listen. I choose to listen. I choose to devote my time, despite the clock ticking, to listening to the narrations of the lives of others who cross my life.

The date birth of Hans Christian Andersen has been established as the World Day of Celebrating Children’s Literature. Every year on April 2nd, people all over the world celebrate the World Day of Children’s Literature.

But I remembered Hans today not so that we can listen to or read a story today. I remembered Hans today mostly because I feel that it is high time we found some time to ‘listen to a story’ more often that only once a year on April 2nd.

Enjoy your listenings of stories! And don’t be afraid to share the stories you have either! But if it seems soooo difficult , then we can all start from remembering some of the stories that accompanied us as young, really young kids. We are adults, yes but the ‘friends’ of our childhood times may keep their place in our adult lives. Fairy tales are not friends with an expiration date. Fairy tales and children’s literature are friends of life. Let’s not neglect them! Happy readings!