In Hans Christian Andersen's "The Travelling Companion," the kind-hearted Johannes, orphaned after his father's death, uses his small inheritance to pay the debts of a dead man, preventing his body from being desecrated. Soon after, he is joined by a mysterious stranger—the Travelling Companion—who possesses magical knowledge and items. When Johannes falls in love with a beautiful but cruel princess under an evil spell, forced to set deadly riddles for her suitors, the Companion secretly helps him discover the answers (her shoes, her glove, and finally, an evil troll's head) by following her nightly journeys to a mountain troll. Johannes correctly answers the riddles, marries the princess, and breaks her curse with the Companion's guidance; the Companion then reveals himself to be the grateful spirit of the dead man Johannes saved, departing once his debt of gratitude is repaid, leaving the couple to live happily ever after, highlighting the theme that acts of kindness are rewarded.

In Hans Christian Andersen's "The Travelling Companion," the kind-hearted Johannes, orphaned after his father's death, uses his small inheritance to pay the debts of a dead man, preventing his body from being desecrated. Soon after, he is joined by a...

The Travelling Companion | Moral Stories