"The Most Incredible Thing" (Danish: Det Utroligste) is the final literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). The story is about a contest to find the most incredible thing and the wondrous consequences when the winner is chosen. The tale was first published in an English translation by Horace Scudder, an American correspondent of Andersen's, in the United States in September 1870 before being published in the original Danish in Denmark in October 1870. "The Most Incredible Thing" was the first of Andersen's tales to be published in Denmark during World War II. Andersen considered the tale one of his best.[1]
Illustration from the first US publication, in The Riverside Magazine for Young People, September 1870
When the tale begins, a contest has been proclaimed in which half the kingdom and the hand of the princess in marriage will be the rewards of he who can produce the most incredible thing. A poor young man creates a magnificent clock with different lifelike figures — Moses, Adam and Eve, the Four Seasons, the Five Senses, and others — which appear at the stroke of the hour. All agree the clock is the most incredible thing and its creator is named the winner. Suddenly, another man smashes the clock and all then agree that this act is even more incredible than the creation of the beautiful clock. The destroyer is to wed the princess, but at the wedding, the figures of the clock magically reappear, defeat him, and then vanish. All agree that this is the most incredible thing, and the princess and the young creator of the clock marry.
The figuresedit
Each hour on the clock is represented by a figure from the Bible, mythology, folklore or common knowledge.[2]
One o'clock: Moses, writing the first of the ten commandments
Two o'clock: Adam and Eve
Three o'clock: The Three Wise Men
Four o'clock: The Four Seasons, represented by a cuckoo bird (spring), a grasshopper (summer), an empty stork's nest (autumn), and an old crow (winter)
Five o'clock: The Five Senses, represented by a spectacle maker (sight), a coppersmith (hearing), a flower girl (smell), a cook (taste), and an undertaker (touch)
Six o'clock: A gambler, who always rolled sixes
Seven o'clock: The seven days of the week, or the seven deadly sins
Eight o'clock: A choir of eight singing monks
Nine o'clock: The Muses of Greek mythology
Ten o'clock: Moses returns with the rest of the Ten Commandments
Eleven o'clock: Eleven children played and sang "Two and two and seven, the clock has struck eleven"
Twelve o'clock: A night watchman announces the birth of Christ[3]
Stage adaptationsedit
Pet Shop Boys balletedit
In 2011 British pop act Pet Shop Boys wrote the music for a ballet based on the story that opened in March 2011 at Sadler's Wells in London.[4] The story was adapted by Matthew Dunster and featured choreography by Javier de Frutos. It starred former Royal Ballet principal Ivan Putrov and animated film created by Tal Rosner.[5] The ballet won an Evening Standard Theatre Award and returned to Sadlers Wells for a second season in 2012.
In 2018 the Charlotte Ballet produced and presented the American premiere of the ballet created at Sadler's Wells.
^Andersen, Hans Christian (2005). Wullschlager, Jackie (ed.). Fairy Tales. Translated by Nunnally, Tiina. Viking. pp. xxxix, 436–437. ISBN0-670-03377-4.
^"The Most Incredible Thing". petshopboys.co.uk. 2010-12-09.
^. Sadler's Wells Theatre. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2011-08-06.
^Macaulay, Alastair (February 3, 2016). "Review: ‘The Most Incredible Thing’ Brings Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tale to Life." New York Times. Print version appeared February 4, 2016, under title "Forever Mindful of the Clock."
External linksedit
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
The Most Incredible Thing
"The Most Incredible Thing" English translation by Jean Hersholt
Det Utroligste Original Danish text
January 01, 1970
most, incredible, thing, shop, boys, album, album, danish, utroligste, final, literary, fairy, tale, danish, poet, author, hans, christian, andersen, 1805, 1875, story, about, contest, find, most, incredible, thing, wondrous, consequences, when, winner, chosen. For the Pet Shop Boys album see The Most Incredible Thing album The Most Incredible Thing Danish Det Utroligste is the final literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen 1805 1875 The story is about a contest to find the most incredible thing and the wondrous consequences when the winner is chosen The tale was first published in an English translation by Horace Scudder an American correspondent of Andersen s in the United States in September 1870 before being published in the original Danish in Denmark in October 1870 The Most Incredible Thing was the first of Andersen s tales to be published in Denmark during World War II Andersen considered the tale one of his best 1 The Most Incredible Thing Short story by Hans Christian AndersenOriginal titleDet UtroligsteTranslatorHorace ScudderCountryDenmarkLanguageDanishGenre s Literary fairy talePublicationPublished inNyt Dansk MaanedsskriftPublisherC A ReitzelMedia typePrintPublication dateOctober 1870 Denmark Published in EnglishSeptember 1870 United States Contents 1 Plot summary 1 1 The figures 2 Stage adaptations 2 1 Pet Shop Boys ballet 2 2 Other productions 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksPlot summary edit nbsp Illustration from the first US publication in The Riverside Magazine for Young People September 1870 When the tale begins a contest has been proclaimed in which half the kingdom and the hand of the princess in marriage will be the rewards of he who can produce the most incredible thing A poor young man creates a magnificent clock with different lifelike figures Moses Adam and Eve the Four Seasons the Five Senses and others which appear at the stroke of the hour All agree the clock is the most incredible thing and its creator is named the winner Suddenly another man smashes the clock and all then agree that this act is even more incredible than the creation of the beautiful clock The destroyer is to wed the princess but at the wedding the figures of the clock magically reappear defeat him and then vanish All agree that this is the most incredible thing and the princess and the young creator of the clock marry The figures edit Each hour on the clock is represented by a figure from the Bible mythology folklore or common knowledge 2 One o clock Moses writing the first of the ten commandments Two o clock Adam and Eve Three o clock The Three Wise Men Four o clock The Four Seasons represented by a cuckoo bird spring a grasshopper summer an empty stork s nest autumn and an old crow winter Five o clock The Five Senses represented by a spectacle maker sight a coppersmith hearing a flower girl smell a cook taste and an undertaker touch Six o clock A gambler who always rolled sixes Seven o clock The seven days of the week or the seven deadly sins Eight o clock A choir of eight singing monks Nine o clock The Muses of Greek mythology Ten o clock Moses returns with the rest of the Ten Commandments Eleven o clock Eleven children played and sang Two and two and seven the clock has struck eleven Twelve o clock A night watchman announces the birth of Christ 3 Stage adaptations editPet Shop Boys ballet edit In 2011 British pop act Pet Shop Boys wrote the music for a ballet based on the story that opened in March 2011 at Sadler s Wells in London 4 The story was adapted by Matthew Dunster and featured choreography by Javier de Frutos It starred former Royal Ballet principal Ivan Putrov and animated film created by Tal Rosner 5 The ballet won an Evening Standard Theatre Award and returned to Sadlers Wells for a second season in 2012 In 2018 the Charlotte Ballet produced and presented the American premiere of the ballet created at Sadler s Wells Other productions edit In 2016 the New York City Ballet premiered a one act ballet based on the same story choreographed by Justin Peck 6 See also edit nbsp Children s literature portal List of works by Hans Christian AndersenReferences edit Tatar Maria 2008 The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen W W Norton amp Company pp 298 303 ISBN 978 0 393 06081 2 The Most Incredible Thing 1870 http hca gilead org il inkling most incredible html Andersen Hans Christian 2005 Wullschlager Jackie ed Fairy Tales Translated by Nunnally Tiina Viking pp xxxix 436 437 ISBN 0 670 03377 4 The Most Incredible Thing petshopboys co uk 2010 12 09 Pet Shop Boys amp Javier De Frutos The Most Incredible Thing Sadler s Wells Theatre Archived from the original on 2011 08 10 Retrieved 2011 08 06 Macaulay Alastair February 3 2016 Review The Most Incredible Thing Brings Hans Christian Andersen s Fairy Tale to Life New York Times Print version appeared February 4 2016 under title Forever Mindful of the Clock External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article The Most Incredible Thing The Most Incredible Thing English translation by Jean Hersholt Det Utroligste Original Danish text Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Most Incredible Thing amp oldid 1188022593, wikipedia, 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