2 verifications about Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ×
“Ugly ducklings become ducks when they grow up.”
The evidence does not support this claim. In Andersen’s story, the “ugly duckling” grows up to be a swan, and standard definitions distinguish a duckling from a young swan. Calling the adult bird a duck relies on an incorrect category shift from “duck” to “any related waterfowl.”
“Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale 'The Little Match Girl' was first published in 1845.”
The story was indeed physically published in December 1845, consistent with the claim. It appeared in the Danish almanac "Dansk Folkekalender for 1846," which carried a forward cover year of 1846 — a common practice for almanacs. Most literary histories use 1845 as the publication year based on the actual release date, though some sources cite 1846 based on the almanac's title. The claim aligns with the dominant scholarly convention but omits this minor bibliographic nuance.