The Well Told Tale

Hi everyone. This is Robert. Welcome to The Well Told Tale. Every week I narrate a classic story; the greatest science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction stories ever written, not just in a small chunk at a time, but enough for you to really relax into. No adverts in the middle, just the story itself. All stories are pubic domain and free from copyright.

All Episodes

The Well Told Tale

The Ugly Duckling

February 05, 2025 • The Well Told Tale • Season 1 • Episode 232

This week we have an original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen: The Ugly Duckling. Was it inspired by the bullying Hans Christian Andersen faced as a child, or by his discovery that he was the illegitimate son of Prince Christian Frederick? Whatever the inspiration, it's a tale that still resonates today.

You can support the channel via our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewelltoldtale

Books - (buying books from our Bookshop.org shop helps support this channel while also supporting local bookshops, at no cost to you): Books by our favourite authors - https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/the-well-told-tale

Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9522/9781909115200

An Illustrated Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales: - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9522/9781782501183

The Ugly Duckling - Read it yourself with Ladybird - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/9522/9780723272632

I would like to thank my patrons: Maura Lee, Jane, John Bowles, Cade Norman, Matt Woodward, Cho Jinn and Douglas Harley

Support the show