Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875) was a Danish fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. During his lifetime he was acclaimed for having delighted children worldwide, and was feted by royalty. His poetry and stories have been translated into more than 150 languages. Andersen’s fairy tales of fantasy with moral lessons are popular with children and adults all over the world, and they also contain autobiographical details of the man himself.

"The Wild Swans" is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a princess who rescues her eleven brothers from a spell cast by an evil queen.

The tale was first published on 2 October 1838 as the first installment in Andersen's Fairy Tales Told for Children. New Collection in Copenhagen, Denmark. It has been adapted to various media including ballet, television, and animated film.