Though Hans Christian Andersen considered himself a serious novelist and dramatist, he is best known for his fairy tales, which include such classics as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling”, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” and “The Red Shoes.” By and large, these are morality tales, informed by the Danish author’s Christian beliefs. But as Saul Jay Singer notes, Andersen’s work was also influenced by his encounters with Jewish life in Denmark:

Last month, the Chinese minister of defense, together with senior military figures, paid a visit to Tehran, where they met with their Iranian counterparts, as well as with the Iranian president. Tuvia Gering and Jason M. Brodsky doubt the talks will result in a grand Sino-Iranian alliance, but they nonetheless expect increased collaboration between the two countries. For many years, they note, Beijing has evaded or violated embargoes to sell arms to the Islamic Republic, and there’s reason to expect more of the same: