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The Real Princess

A fairy tale from Andersen's Fairy Tales, by H. C. Andersen

The Real Princess (sometimes called The Princess and the Pea) is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most famous fairy tales, first published in 1835. Andersen was a Danish storyteller who wrote tales loved by children and adults all over the world. This story asks a playful question: how can you tell if someone is truly royal? The answer—a test so delicate only the right person could pass—has delighted readers for nearly two hundred years. It reminds young listeners that some qualities are felt, not seen. This text reflects its era.

Band

Purple · Pre-readers and first readersTypical starting range: ages 4–5

Length

short · about 384 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures

Source

Andersen's Fairy Tales, 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 (6 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Colouring page
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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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