Dato: 10. november 1847
Fra: H.C. Andersen   Til: Charles Boner
Sprog: engelsk.

[brevet er skrevet på tysk, men her vist på engelsk[fra JS-katalog) ]

Dear Friend!

Yesterday, just after I had sent off a letter to you at the post office, I received your letter and I must write once again because of the printed prologue. Both of the stories, The Little Match Girl and Little Tuk are incorrect.

I was visiting the Duke of Augustenburg when I received from Copenhagen a letter from the editor of a Danish folk calender; he wrote that it pleased him a great deal to receive a little work of mine and that the book was already printed. Enclosed in the letter were two printed wood cuttings which he wanted to use if I would write something about them; it was a little girl; with matches, exactly as I have described her. I wrote the fairy tale according to the picture, wote it with great pleasure, at Casstle Gravenstein in Schleswig. In Little Tuk you mention Mysø; that should be Nysø, although there is no connection between Tuk and Nysø. I lived for a long time in Oldenburg,t he Grand Duchy of Oldenburg with Privy Councilor von Eisendeschers; the children there are named Carl and Gustav. When he was a little child, the boy always called himself Tunk which is supposed to be "Carl" (he would not say it other-wise). I pomised the dear little ones that they would appear in a fairy tale, and both of them appeared in the tale of "Little Tuk" but as poor children. I do not understand dear Freind, what you wrote about Holstein and Denmark. I can only make out that, when in London, I said to you jokingly: "and then, as a reward for German hopsitality, I changed the German children into genuine Danes", or something like taht. Please correct this an write soon! -

Jenny Lind is now in Sotckholm and I live in true longing for Rome; at home it is cold and foggy and wet! - Send my hearty gretings to my Bavarian friends and alwas remain good to me.

Your sincerely faithful, loyal

H. C. Andersen

in haste.

Tekst fra: H.C. Andersens Hus