The Darning-Needle
A young girl's finger is pricked by a darning needle that has been thrown away and has come to life. The needle tells her it will be with her forever, causing her pain whenever she does something wrong or disobeys her parents.
By Hans Christian Andersen · First published 1837 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Children's Literature · 1,558 words
First lines
There was once upon a time a darning needle, that imagined itself so fine, that at last it fancied it was a sewing-needle.
"Now, pay attention, and hold me firmly! " said the darning-needle to the fingers that were taking it out. "Do not let me fall! If I fall on the ground, I shall certainly never be found again, so fine am I."
What this Textopian page supports
The Darning-Needle is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hans Christian Andersen, dated 1837 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Hans Christian Andersen
- Date: 1837 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fable, Children's Literature, Satire, Fantasy
- Length: 1,558 words
- Structure: 1 section, 32 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Darning-Needle by Hans Christian Andersen
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Darning-Needle?
- How does this short story by Hans Christian Andersen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Money Box by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Willow Wren by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Quickest Runners by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Goblin And The Huckster by Hans Christian Andersen
- Buckwheat by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Golden Key by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features anthropomorphized objects and a moral lesson, typical of fairy tales.
- Fable — The narrative uses personification to convey a moral about pride and self-awareness.
- Children's Literature — The simple language and moral lesson make it suitable for a young audience.
- Satire — The story humorously critiques vanity and self-importance through the darning needle's perspective.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Fantasy · Short Story · Children's Literature · Magic Realism · Mythology · Symbolism · Allegory · Moral Lesson · Cautionary Tale · Folklore · Norse Mythology