ots , ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁fol kt ale ▁of ▁the ▁" se ven - le ague ▁bo ots " ▁( s y vm il est ø v ler ). ▁ ▁The ▁tale ▁was ▁first ▁published ▁by ▁C . ▁A . ▁Re itz el ▁in ▁C open hagen , ▁Den mark ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁May ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁with ▁The ▁True ▁Sold ier ▁( one - act ▁verse ▁play ) ▁and ▁" That ▁Was ▁Done ▁by ▁the ▁Z omb ie " ▁( po em ) ▁in ▁Three ▁Po et ical ▁Works . ▁ ▁Re itz el ▁paid ▁Anders en ▁ 4 0 ▁r ix d oll ars ▁for ▁the ▁story . ▁In ▁the ▁tale , ▁Anders en ▁continues ▁to ▁perfect ▁his ▁col lo qu ial ▁style . ▁Anders en ▁read ▁the ▁tale ▁al oud ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁with ▁his ▁novel ▁Only ▁a ▁F idd ler . ▁The ▁tale ▁ir rit ated ▁the ▁young ▁Dan ish ▁phil os opher ▁S ø ren ▁K ier k ega ard ▁with ▁its ▁sat ir ical ▁portrait ▁of ▁a ▁bird ▁that ▁b ab bles ▁on ▁end lessly ▁in ▁a ▁philosoph ical ▁ve in . ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁C open hagen . ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁guests ▁are ▁holding ▁a ▁large ▁party . ▁During ▁the ▁fest ivity ▁Coun c iler ▁of ▁Justice ▁Kn ap ▁arg ues ▁that ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁were ▁a ▁time ▁better ▁than ▁their ▁own , ▁more ▁specifically ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁King