From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:
1838
Is Awarded a Public Poet's Appanage.9 April
The first almanac entry regarding having met August Bournonville.
1838: Is Awarded a Public Poet's Appanage.
19 May
Release of Tre Digtninger (Three Tales): ("Lykkens Kalosker" (The Galoshes of Fortune) [the original version], "En rigtig Soldat" (A Real Soldier), "Det har Zombien gjort" (What The Zombie Did). In a letter to Henriette Hanck, dated 10th February 1838), HCA emphasised that "The Galoshes of Fortune" were "not for children". As the fairy-tale is more in line with the "Hoffmann-like imagination so prevalent in Fodreisen (A Walking Tour), than with the spirit and style of the Tales, Told For Children, it must be with this in mind that we may understand the following point of view, expressed by HCA about the Galoshes of Fortune;
"I'm working on a fairy-tale, but now regret these juggling acts with the golden apples of imagination".
(from letter to Frederik Læssøe, dated 23rd February).
HCA received 40 rdl. from Reitzel the publisher for "The Galoshes of Fortune". The tale includes a dramatic element titled En Rigtig Soldat (A Real Soldier. Dramatic Situation in Rhymed Verse With Songs and Choir in One Act). This feature was submitted to the Royal Theatre in April 1836, but returned in May of the same year.
26 May
By royal resolution, HCA is awarded an annual grant of 400 rdl. This came about with the assistance of Count Conrad Rantzau-Breitenburg, titular Privy Prime Minister, who was an enthusiastic reader of HCA and to whom HCA had expressed his woes.
While HCA still awaited the outcome of this matter, with doubt and anticipation, he wrote (on 25th Nov. 1837) to Henriette Hanck, saying that if he were awarded the 400rdl., it would;
" ...be such wonderful luck! And yet - it is not enough to be overjoyed, I need 1000 rdl. a year before I may permit myself to fall in love, and 1500 before I dare marry. And by the time this almost impossible wish becomes a reality, the young girl will be gone, swept away by someone else, and I'll be an old, dried up bachelor; such sad prospects [...] No, I'll never be rich, never satisfied and never - in love!"
Approx. June
Release of Kun en Spillemand (Only a Fiddler) in German (Nur ein Geiger), including an introductory biography of HCA, written by a Major G.F. von Jenssen, who was also a postmaster. The publishers are Fr. Vieweg und Sohn in Braunschweig. HCA himself mentions, in a letter to Henriette Hanck from September 1837, that his novel is being translated to German by P. Th. Schorn, and that it is to be released by Campes publishing house. Whether or not this initiative was abandoned due to the working relationship with von Jenssen is not known - HCA provided the material for the introductory biography. Around the same time, an article on HCA is printed in Brockhaus's Conversationslexikon der Gegenwart (based on Marmier).
5 June
Meets George O'Neill at a dinner party at the Wulffs'.
June
HCA writes to Jette Wulff, who is holidaying at Nysø, saying that;
"My love for the ocean has now reached such heights that I, despite my advanced age, have now engaged a swimming instructor"
(Letter dated 22nd June).
The lessons took place at the Naval Academy.