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The Daisy

From Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen published his fairy tales throughout the nineteenth century, and they remain among the most widely read works of children's literature. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. "The Daisy" is a moral fable that asks what it means to be truly rich, and whether we notice and value the humble things and creatures around us—or only mourn them when it is too late. Andersen's genius lies in making a small flower and a caged bird carry the weight of questions about empathy, pride, and the difference between real compassion and empty gestures.

Band
Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14
Length
long · about 1070 words in 5 sections · 2 pictures
Source
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, H. C. Andersen
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 10 minutes at this band
Pause questions
1
Words to Know
10
Quick Check
10 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
2 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 40 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

The Daisy at other bands

Yellow band

The Daisy

H. C. Andersen

medium · 550 words · also in Green, Blue

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Green band

The Daisy

H. C. Andersen

long · 853 words · also in Yellow, Blue

Ready now