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The False Collar

From Andersen's Fairy Tales, by H. C. Andersen

This is a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author famous for "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Mermaid." First published in the nineteenth century, this story reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. Andersen often wrote about ordinary objects that come to life—a tin soldier, a darning needle, a collar—and face the consequences of pride and vanity. In this tale, a boastful collar learns that lies and bragging can follow you forever. The story is worth a child's time because it shows, with humour and a surprising ending, that the truth about who we are matters more than the grand stories we tell about ourselves.

Band

Yellow · Emerging readersTypical starting range: ages 6–8

Length

medium · about 529 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 (8 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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