Hans Christian Andersen called his life a fairy tale - rising from the obscurity of the slums to become one of the most famous men in the world.

But, as Naomi Lewis points out in her introduction, "fairy tales also have their darker side".

In life, Andersen was plagued by self-doubt, financial insecurity and toothache, just as the protagonists of his stories had to face terrible trials, forests of thorns and unscalable glass mountains.

But it is these dark moments that are among the most memorable aspects of Andersen's tales.

Here are thirteen of his very best stories, including "The Princess and the Pea"; "Thumbelina"; "The Emperor's New Clothes"; "The Little Mermaid"; "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Snow Queen".