This is a story from the Andersen's Fairy Tales collection.
The world of Hans Christian Andersen is seen through the eyes of children. There is the everyday wonder of an ugly duckling being transformed into a swan; the puffed-up Emperor being fooled by his own importance; the tender tragedy of a little match girl; the upright honesty of John rewarded by his traveling companion. By bringing true feelings to these stories, Andersen's tales have become part of universal folklore.