H.V. Kaalund managed to create a literary classic with his “Fabler for Barn” (Fables for Children), which was published in 1845.

Encouraged by the success of the German children's book “Fabeln für Kinder” by J.W. Heys (1833 and 1837), the publisher P.G. Philipsen's took the initiative to create a Danish equivalent with Kaalund as the author. The collection of 50 fables speaks to its child audience through their own imagery, and the book was illustrated by Kaalund's friend J.Th. Lundbye. The fables provide the animals with easily recognizable behavioural patterns and motives for the children, such as mischievousness, naughtiness and schadenfreude, and the stories do not hide the grim aspects of nature. Most well-known is perhaps “The Dead Duck”, which contains the moral: “But motherless were the poor little ones / Oh, if you have a mother, then appreciate this circumstance.” The position of the fables as a classic within Danish children's literature has lasted until today.

There is not much evidence of the relationship between Kaalund and Andersen, but that Andersen was unconditionally enthusiastic about Kaalund is clearly evidenced by the only preserved and known letter, which is a recommendation sent to Kaalund: “I hvert enkelt nok saa lille Digt af ham er der en Friskhed, en Poesie der griber Læseren og i hans ”Fabler“, der ikke behøvede Lundbyes smukke Tegninger for at efterlade hos os et tydeligt Billede, har vor Literatur, vist nok i denne Retning, det meest originale, friske Bidrag.”

Reference: University of Southern Denmark's digital HCA letter archive. December 24, 1853.