The Flying Swan (radio play)

[5][6] According to Leslie Rees, with this play, "Shepherd took the problem of what shall a man write about, how shall he fix on his worthy and legitimate material.

Hans Andersen, after many struggles, almost miraculously finds his true mission in writing fairy-stories based on his own poetically infused early experience.

"[7] "Miss Shepherd pictures endearingly the strange anti-thesis between Andersen’s Simple Simon physical loutishness and his clear poetic vision and utter simplicity of spirit.

In Copenhagen the lad who wanted so badly to write and sing was called a gnome, was ridiculed and insulted; but eventually he came into his own.

His fairy stories were to bring the hobbledehoy of Odense to the notice of the famous Jenny Lind, and it is Jenny Lind who tells him in the play: “Go on, beautiful lonely swan, towards your destiny.” So, ultimately, Hans Andersen has his childish dream fulfilled, and returns in all honor, and to the pealing of bells, to his home town.