"The Darning Needle"  is a short fantasy story for children by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published in 1845. The needle who is the story's title character and protagonist is a snob. She accuses most of those around her of being self-centered while being unaware of how conceited she is herself. She is convinced that her social status is much higher than it is in reality. As part of this delusion, she fancies that she is much more delicate than she really is.