Anne Lisbeth by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

5 seconds

Anne Lisbeth gave her son to a digger’s wife and was hired as a nurse in an earl’s castle. Her child lived without affection, and died at sea in a storm. She nursed the earl’s child, but he forgot her.

1 minute

Anne Lisbeth gave birth to a child out of wedlock and gave him up to be raised by the digger’s wife. She herself was hired as a nurse in the count’s castle. She was clothed in silks and given a beautiful room. Anne gave all her love to the little earl, but she forgot her own son.

Her child grew up in cold and hunger, knowing neither love nor affection. As soon as he could stand on his feet, he was forced to work. And when the baby grew up, he was sent to sea as an assistant on a fishing boat. In a storm, the boat capsized and the boy drowned.

When the earl’s son no longer needed milk, the nurse was fired. But Anne did not forget her little angel. She saved up money to go and see the earl. She was accepted, allowed to see the boy. But the 14-year-old teenager did not recognize her, behaved very coldly.

Lisbeth paid a visit to the digger’s wife. She reported that Anne’s son had drowned at sea. The mother was not very saddened by the news. But as she walked home by the sea, she saw a smooth stone, which from a distance looked like a human body. And her conscience awoke in her.