Great Claus and Little Claus

Here is a piece of nostalgia - for me at least. When I was young and until today I loved Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales and especially Great Claus and Little Claus. At the podcast Forgotten Classics this tale was integrally read by Joseph in the new subseries Forgotten Tales. Go and listen yourself, especially in case you have never heard this cheeky tale. (feed)

Although Anderson's work is considered to be literary, I have always wondered how much of his tales are based upon regular folk stories. I own a collection of Dutch folk tales that continue a number of tales that contain some or all elements of Great Claus and Little Claus. In some respect the folk version is more cheeky - Little Claus catches the farmer's wife cheating on her husband and in some aspects Anderson is very daring when Great Claus is about to murder Little CLaus. He is weary of dragging him in a sack and decides to rest a bit in the Church. After he has heard some Psalms his spirit is uplifted and he has regained strength to continue with his plan.

More Forgotten Classics:
Flood tales; Noah, Gilgamesh and Manu,
5 podcasts I listened to (Genesis),
The Riddle of the Sands,
The message of Uncle Tom's Cabin,
Cooking with Forgotten Classics.