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Jack the Dullard

A fairy tale retold from Hans Christian Andersen

This tale is one of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy stories, first published in the nineteenth century. Andersen was a Danish writer whose stories are loved around the world. In this story, two brothers who think they are very clever fail because they cannot speak when it matters. Jack, whom everyone calls dull, wins because he is quick-witted and brave. The story reminds young readers that true cleverness is not just knowing facts from books—it is being able to think and speak in the moment, and having the courage to try even when others laugh. This text reflects its era.

Band

Yellow · Emerging readersTypical starting range: ages 6–8

Length

medium · about 536 words in 5 sections · 4 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 (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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