Showing results by publisher "SAGA EGMONT" in Fantasy

A long time ago, the Emperor of China lived in a magnificent palace made of fine china and surrounded by a splendid garden that was so big that even the gardener did not know it all. One day, the Emperor read a book that told him that most marvellous bird was the nightingale and so he asked his court to find him one because he wanted to hear it sing that very evening. But, where could one be found? - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

"What would you have done? Rubbed your eyes and thought you were dreaming? Well, if you had, nothing more would have happened. Nothing ever does when you behave like that." In 'The Aunt and Amabel' a young girl damages a special flower-bed without meaning to, and as a punishment her aunt sends her to the bedroom with the large wardrobe. When Amabel finds a railway timetable naming a station called 'Bigwardrobeinspareroom' in there she is intrigued. And in opening the wardrobe, she finds something very unexpected on the inside. C.S.

One day, a diabolical troll made a mirror that showed everything beautiful as ugly and all that was good as evil. Delighted, the trolls decided to carry their mirror to heaven and mock the angels, but on the way the mirror shattered and pieces of the mirror spread across the world. This was how some became windows and others were made into spectacles, but the most unfortunate received tiny pieces in their eyes or in their heart, changing their life for ever.

B. J. Harrison breathes new life into the fantastical world of "The Door in the Wall". Wallace is a good student living in London's West Kensington neighborhood with his family. At age five, he finds a mysterious door in the wall. When he enters, he discovers a magical garden where he meets unfamiliar creatures and new experiences. After this discovery, normal life seems far too ordinary, and as he finds the door again throughout his life Wallace finds himself torn between the two different worlds. H. G.

By now the sun was up, and through the periscope he minded he could see the stony plateau in front of the position. On the other side of it were the outskirts of the jungle where the enemy was hiding and building his camps, preparing for new attacks. He observed the vastness of the wild jungle stretching north and west, pierced by hundreds of hilltops, each surrounded by a white fog. French Indochina was a gigantic and mysterious place, and he was gradually losing hope that he would ever find what he had come here searching for.

The swineherd John spots a tree outside the palace that it is so high it reaches the sky. It blossoms in the morning, by noon it bears fruits and by midnight they are ripe. However someone steals each and every apple and the king does not get to taste it. Furious, hr decides to find out who the culprit is. Find out the end of this Hungarian fairy tale in "The Tree That Reached the Sky". B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories.

When his father died, young Johannes did not know what to do. He was now all alone in the world and he was inconsolable. With his inheritance, he decided to explore the world and he had only one goal in mind: to be as good as his father in the hope of one day finding him again in heaven. - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

A long time ago, in Copenhagen, there lived an old bachelor who lived alone in a small shack and always slept with a nightcap that he pulled well down over his face. People laughed at his strange attire. However, there was a story behind this nightcap and, if it had been widely know, they would have mocked him less.

A child is gravely ill and his mother has already spent three nights at his bedside. Then, a strange man knocks on the door and she bids him enter to shelter from the cold. But, it was death himself at the door and he made the most of the mother falling asleep to steal her son. So, she decided to go after him. - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

Hear the beloved children's tale as read by B.J. Harrison. "The Wind in the Willows" follows the eventful adventures of four animals: Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger, as they navigate twists of friendship, dangers and changing surroundings. This 20th-century novel has become known and loved through countless adaptations on the screen and stage alike, including the animated Disney adaptation The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) and the British film The Wind in the Willows (1996) starring Steve Coogan. B. J.

Adventurer Wandering Smith is hunting anacondas in the jungles of South America when he spots an orchid hunter, who is fleeing from a group of natives. The two join forces, but it soon becomes clear to Wandering Smith that the orchid hunter is after something much more adventurous than rare flowers. 'The Golden Anaconda' is one of five stories written by entomologist Elmer Brown Mason about the swamp-guide Wandering Smith. They were originally published in 'The Popular Magazine' and were inspired by Elmer Brown Mason's own travel adventures.

In a little house in Marbach, on the banks of the Necker river, lived a poor family. The day that their son was born, the church’s bell was rung to celebrate the newborn’s arrival. At the time, no one questioned the destiny of the child and still less that of the bell! - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

The War of Spanish Succession is over, many sailors are out of work, and the thriving American colonies are quickly becoming the place of opportunity. For Sam Bellamy it is the opportunity to become the captain of his own ship. When he falls in love with a rebellious New England debutante, he finds out very quickly that he needs more than a dream to win over her socialite parents.

In Gudenau, in the forest of Silkeborg, lived a farmer, Jeppe Jans, and his son, Ib. In winter, when there was nothing to do in the fields, Jeppe Jans made clogs and Ib tried to do the same. Not far away, lived the boatman and his daughter, Christina. She would often accompany her father on his travels by boat, but when the journey was too long and he did not want to take her, she stayed with Ib. It was then, during their early childhood, that their friendship began.

"Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There" allows readers to return to the wondrous world of Alice. A sequel to Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," this novel sees Alice visiting a fantastical world once again, this time through a mirror. What she finds on the other side defies logic and turns the world as she knows it upside down.

This story, one of Andersen’s best known, tells the tale of a poor little girl who was sent by her parents to sell matches in the street. It is Christmas Even and it is very cold, but she dare not return home empty-handed. Instead, to try and warm herself, she lights one match at a time, revealing an extraordinary, but ephemeral, world with each one. - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

Once upon a time, a china shepherdess and a chimney sweep who were placed close to each other decided to marry. However, another doll, who said he was the shepherdess’s grandfather, wanted her to marry the major general engraved on the dresser... - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

In the rose bush in the middle of the garden lived a tiny elf, she was so small that it was impossible to see her with the naked eye. Behind each rose petal hides a room and the elf spent her days exploring the garden. At the bottom of the garden was a house where one day she saw a charming young woman, her lover and her evil brother. The tiny elf then found herself in the front row of a drama that would leave no one indifferent. - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus reveals the story behind the man we all know. In this children's fantasy story, baby Claus is discovered in a forest by a supreme immortal and placed in the care of a lioness and later a wood nymph. Claus is kind towards children and spends his time making toys for them, but not everyone is pleased with his activities and will do all they can to make it stop. The story by L.

B.J. Harrison reads "The Happy Prince and Other Tales" which consists of various children’s stories by Oscar Wilde. Originally published in 1888, the work includes five memorable stories: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend" and "The Remarkable Rocket". It features unforgettable characters, such as the happy prince who has never experienced sorrow and a nightingale who accepts a rose for the ultimate sacrifice.