Under The Willow Tree by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

5 seconds

The children Knud and Johanna were playing under the willow tree. Then their paths diverged. Johanna became a famous singer. Knud confessed his love for her, but to her he was like a brother. Knud traveled a lot and froze to death under the willow tree in winter.

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The children of the poor neighbors were friends and played under the willow tree. Johanna’s voice already touched her soul to the core and the adults predicted a great future for the little girl.

And so it turned out: Johanna’s father, widowed, moved to Copenhagen. His daughter learned the vocal and began to perform in the opera.

Knud, on the other hand, became an apprentice shoemaker. When he was apprenticed, he went to Copenhagen to visit Johanna.

As children, the tart vendor gave them each a gingerbread man: in the form of a cavalier and a young lady. He told a cautionary tale about these tarts. The gentleman loved the young lady and she loved him. But he kept silent. And the young lady was not supposed to speak first. That’s how they dried up.

This story was not going out of Knud’s mind. He would not keep quiet! But Johanna said she loved him as a brother, no more. So Knud set out on his wanderings.

He visited Nuremberg and Milan, and everywhere they talked about the opera singer Johanna. Knud decided to return home, but on the way he froze at the willow tree, having one last dream of Johanna kissing him.