Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author best known for his fairy tales. He wrote over 150 fairy tales that have been translated into over 80 languages and inspired numerous adaptations. Some of his most famous fairy tales include The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and The Snow Queen. Andersen was born in Denmark in 1805 to a shoemaker father and washerwoman mother and left home at age 14 to pursue a career as a singer, actor and author in Copenhagen. He died in 1875 in Denmark after a long career writing fairy tales and other works.