The Dryad

by Hans Christian Andersen

We are in the midst of Paris, in a great hotel. Blooming flowers ornament the staircases, and soft carpets the floors. Our room is a very cosy one, and through the open balcony door we have a view of a great square. Spring lives down there; it has come to Paris, and arrived at the same time with us. It has come in the shape of a glorious young chestnut tree, with delicate leaves newly opened. How the tree gleams, dressed in its spring garb, before all the other trees in the place! One of these latter had been struck out of the list of living trees. It lies on the ground with roots exposed. On the place where it stood, the young chestnut tree is to be planted, and to flourish.

Genres: Classics, Short Stories, Childrens, Fantasy

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1868

About the author

Hans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.

Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.

Reviews

[Melanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was first published in 1868, so the exhibition mentioned must have been the International Exhibition of 1867 - one of the World's Fairs held in Paris.

World's Fairs aren't a big deal today, but back when traveling was rarer and there wasn't TV/Movies to bring you images from afar, they were really popular as sort of a way of being able to experience a lot of different cultures in one city.

And like the Dryad - most of those exhibits were ephemeral too - they'd last one or two years for the duration of the fair, then they'd be dismantled. Even the Eiffel Tower was originally meant to be dismantled eventually - but luckily they never got around to it!

I enjoyed this a lot more individually than I did as part of the collection.

[Didi Aphra · Rating 5 out of 5]

is this story about me? because the Dryad is literally me, I am she.

some of my fave quotes:

"Thou shalt go to the city of magic; thou shalt take root there, and enjoy the mighty rushing breezes, the air and the sunshine there. But the time of thy life shall then be shortened; the line of years that awaited thee here amid the free nature shall shrink to but a small tale. Poor Dryad! It shall be thy destruction. Thy yearning and longing will increase, thy desire will grow more stormy..."

"I feel the same longing I felt before; I feel that there is a life I should wish to grasp and to experience."

“Had, perhaps, every one of them a longing in her breast, like the Dryad?"

"Thy wishing and thy longing have torn thee, with thy roots, from the place which God appointed for thee. That was thy destruction, thou poor Dryad!"

[Elinor Loredan]

11/2023 reread:
I enjoyed reading this one more this time, and I found the dryad's experiences to be moving. How often we realize that the fulfillment of our desires will harm us, yet we pursue them anyway. We also tend to sacrifice long term benefit for instant gratification that does not last long. The worldly, materialistic world of the Exhibition is also contrasted with the peaceful country life the dryad leaves. The dryad reminds me of the fir tree in another of Andersen's tales. She keeps running on through the Exhibition thinking that something even better is ahead, yet I do not think she ever reaches the fulfillment of her desire. She also takes on the characteristics of the places she passes through, losing her individuality. What a waste! Along with the dryad's early demise, the tree she is transported in dies at the end of the story, further highlighting the transience of pleasures and of life itself.

I noticed this time, as well, that this is one of Andersen's stories that shows the neverending quest for beauty in life, although perhaps the Dryad seeks the wrong kind of beauty--empty pleasure.

***
11/2022 reread:
I don't enjoy reading this one very much although I appreciate the themes. The dryad considers one glorious experience worth sacrificing the rest of her life. I'm not sure what choice I would make in her position, but it's an interesting dilemma to think about.

[Daze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't recall the last time I read or watched anything on fae/wood creatures so it was a treat reading this tale. The protagonist reminds me of Ariel in the Little Mermaid whose desire and longing to be among humans leads to her early demise. It is an ode to choosing a poetic existence over a spiritually unfulfilling one.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't one of the more memorable of Andersen's stories, but it's still enjoyable.

[jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes:

'"You shall go to the city of enchantments! There you shall take root and enjoy the air and the sunshine, but your life shall be shortened. The long procession of years that awaited you here in the open country will shrink to a small number. Poor Dryad, it will be your ruin! Your longing will grow and your great desire and craving will increase until the tree itself will be a prison to you. You will leave your shelter and change your nature; you will fly forth to mingle with human beings, and then your years will shrink to half of a May fly's lifetime - to one night only! The flame of your life will be blown out. The leaves of the tree will wither and blow away, never to return."'

'It seemed to her that every tree she passed stretched its branches toward her and begged, "Take me with you! Take me with you!" In every tree there lived a yearning dryad.'

'"Take from me all my years of life and grant me but half of a May fly's life! Free me from my prison; give me human life and human happiness, though it be but for a fleeting moment, for only this one night, and then punish me, if you wish, for my longing for life! Free me, even if this dwelling of mine, this fresh young tree, wither, be cut down, turned to ashes, and blown away by the winds!"'

[Amelia Bujar · Rating 1 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...

This one was really not for me. Maybe reading children stories as an adult isn’t the best thing to do for some people.

I personally found this story to be very boring and uninteresting. I really had hard time reading it because I just couldn’t get into the story.

The story is pretty quick read, but that’s the only good thing about this story for me personally.

The writing style in this one was very generic which every fairytale has.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Anderson fairy tales are always interesting to read. This is not one of my favorites, but still good.

[Zain · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[c dana evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dryad

It seems this cautionary tail is not only about a tree, but about the lure of materialism and the fleeting nature of life.