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TheHardyTinSoldier坚定的锡兵THEREwereoncefive-and-twentytinsoldiers;theywereallbrothersfortheyhadallbeenbornofoneoldtinspoon.Theyshoulderedtheirmusketsandlookedstraightbeforethem;theiruniformwasredandblueandverysplendid.Thefirstthingtheyhadheardintheworldwhenthelidwastakenofftheirboxhadbeenthewords“Tinsoldiers!Thesewordswereutteredbyalittleboyclappinghishands:thesoldiershadbeengiventohimforitwashisbirthday;andnowheputthemuponthetable.Eachsoldierwasexactlyliketherest;butoneofthemhadbeencastlastofallandtherehadnotbeenenoughtintofinishhim;buthestoodasfirmlyuponhisonelegastheothersontheirtwo;anditwasjustthisSoldierwhobecameremarkable.Onthetableonwhichtheyhadbeenplacedstoodmanyotherplaythingsbutthetoythatattractedmostattentionwasaneatcastleofcardboard.Throughthelittlewindowsonecouldseestraightintothehall.Beforethecastlesomelittletreeswereplacedroundalittlelooking-glasswhichwastorepresentaclearlake.Waxenswansswamonthislakeandweremirroredinit.Thiswasallverypretty;buttheprettiestofallwasalittleladywhostoodattheopendoorofthecastle;shewasalsocutoutinpaperbutshehadadressoftheclearestgauzeandalittlenarrowblueribbonoverhershouldersthatlookedlikeascarf;andinthemiddleofthisribbonwasashiningtinselroseasbigasherwholeface.Thelittleladystretchedoutbothherarmsforshewasadancer;andthensheliftedonelegsohighthattheTinSoldiercouldnotseeitatallandthoughtthatlikehimselfshehadbutoneleg.“Thatwouldbethewifeforme〃thoughthe;butsheisverygrand.ShelivesinacastleandIhaveonlyaboxandtherearefive-and-twentyofusinthat.Itisnoplaceforher.ButImusttrytomakeacquaintancewithher.〃Andthenhelaydownatfulllengthbehindasnuff-boxwhichwasonthetable;therehecouldeasilywatchthelittledaintyladywhocontinuedtostandupononelegwithoutlosingherbalance.Whentheeveningcamealltheothertinsoldierswereputintotheirboxandthepeopleinthehousewenttobed.Nowthetoysbegantoplayatvisiting〃andat“war〃and〃givingballs.〃Thetinsoldiersrattledintheirboxfortheywantedtojoinbutcouldnotliftthelid.Thenutcrackerthrewsomersaultsandthepencilamuseditselfonthetable:therewassomuchnoisethatthecanarywokeupandbegantospeaktooandeveninverse.TheonlytwowhodidnotstirfromtheirplacesweretheTinSoldierandtheDancingLady:shestoodstraightuponthepointofoneofhertoesandstretchedoutbothherarms;andhewashisoneleg;andheneverturnedhiseyesawayfromher.twelve一一andbounce!thelidflewoffthesnuff-box;buttherebutalittleblackGoblin:youseeitwasatrick.theGoblindontstareatthingsthatdon,tconcernyou.”pretendednottohearhim.“Justyouwaittillto-morrow!z,saidtheGoblin.ButwhenthemorningcameandthechildrengotuptheTinSoldierwasplacedinthewindow;andwhetheritwastheGoblinorthedraughtthatdiditallatoncethewindowflewopenandtheSoldierfellheadoverheelsoutofthethirdstory.Thatwasaterriblepassage!Heputhislegstraightupandstuckwithhelmetdownwardandhisbayonetbetweenthepaving-stones.Theservant-maidandthelittleboycamedowndirectlytolookforhimbutthoughtheyalmosttroduponhimtheycouldnotseehim.IftheSoldierhadcriedoutHereIam!〃theywouldhavefoundhim;buthedidnotthinkitfittingtocalloutloudlybecausehewasinuniform.Nowitbegantorain;thedropssoonfellthickerandatlastitcamedownintoacompletestream.Whentherainwaspasttwostreetboyscameby.“Justlook!”saidoneofthem:thereliesaTinSoldier.Hemustcomeoutandrideintheboat.〃AndtheymadeaboatoutofanewspaperandputtheTinSoldierinthemiddleofitandsohesaileddownthegutterandthetwoboysranbesidehimandclappedtheirhands.Goodnesspreserveus!howthewavesroseinthatgutterandhowfastthestreamran!Butthenithadbeenaheavyrain.ThepaperboatrockedupanddownandsometimesturnedroundsorapidlythattheTinSoldiertrembled;butheremainedfirmandneverchangedcountenanceandlookedstraightbeforehimandshoulderedhismusket.Allatoncetheboatwentintoalongdrainanditbecameasdarkasifhehadbeeninhisbox.WhereamIgoingnow”hethought.〃YesyesthatstheGoblin,sfault.Ah!ifthelittleladyonlysatherewithmeintheboatitmightbetwiceasdark-{orwhatIshouldcare.〃SuddenlytherecameagreatWaterRatwhichlivedunderthedrain.“Haveyouapassport”saidtheRat.Givemeyourpassport.〃ButtheTinSoldierkeptsilenceandheldhismuskettighterthanever.TheboatwentonbuttheRatcameafterit.Hu!howhegnashedhisteethandcalledouttothebitsofstrawandwood.“Holdhim!holdhim!Hehasntpaidtoll-hehasn,tshownhispassport!Butthestreambecamestrongerandstronger.TheTinSoldiercouldseethebrightdaylightwherethearchended;butheheardaroaringnoisewhichmightwellfrightenabolderman.Onlythink-justwherethetunnelendedthedrainranintoagreatcanal;andforhimthatwouldhavebeenasdangerousasforustobecarrieddownagreatwaterfall.Nowhewasalreadysonearitthathecouldnotstop.TheboatwascarriedoutthepoorTinSoldierstiffeninghimselfasmuchashecouldandnoonecouldsaythathemovedaneyelid.Theboatwhirledroundthreeorfourtimesandwasfullofwatertotheveryedge-itmustsink.TheTinSoldierstooduptohisneckinwaterandtheboatsankdeeperanddeeperandthepaperwasloosenedmoreandmore;andnowthewaterclosedoverthesoldier,shead.ThenhethoughtoftheprettylittleDancerandhowheshouldneverseeIleragain;anditsoundedintheSoldier,sears:“FarewellfarewellthouwarriorbraveForthisdaythoumustdie!”AndnowthepaperpartedandtheTinSoldierfellout;butatthatmomenthewassnappedupbyagreatfish.Ohhowdarkitwasinthatfish,sbody!Itwasdarkeryetthaninthedraintunnel;andthenitwasverynarrowtoo.ButtheTinSoldierremainedunmovedandlayatfulllengthshoulderinghismusket.Thefishswamtoandfro;hemadethemostwonderfulmovementsandthenbecamequitestill.Atlastsomethingflashedthroughhimlikelightning.Thedaylightshonequiteclearandavoicesaidaloud“TheTinSoldier!,zThefishhadbeencaughtcarriedtomarketboughtandtakenintothekitchenwherethecookcuthimopenwithalargeknife.SheseizedtheSoldierroundthebodywithbothherhandsandcarriedhimintotheroomwhereallwereanxioustoseetheremarkablemanwhohadtraveledaboutintheinsideofafish;buttheTinSoldierwasnotatallproud.Theyplacedhimonthetableandthere--no!Whatcuriousthingsmayhappenintheworld.TheTinSoldierwasintheveryroominwhichhehadbeenbefore!hesawthesamechildrenandthesametoysstoodonthetable;andtherewastheprettycastlewiththegracefullittleDancer.Shewasstillbalancingherselfononelegandheldtheotherextendedintheair.Shewashardytoo.ThatmovedtheTinSoldier;hewasverynearlyweepingtintearsbutthatwouldnothavebeenproper.Helookedatherbuttheysaidnothingtoeachother.ThenoneofthelittleboystooktheTinSoldierandflunghimintothestove.Hegavenoreasonfordoingthis.ItmusthavebeenthefaultoftheGoblininthesnuff-box.TheTinSoldierstoodtherequiteilluminatedandfeltaheatthatwasterrible;butwhetherthisheatproceededfromtherealfireorfromlovehedidnotknow.Thecolorshadquitegoneofffromhim;butwhetherthathadhappenedonthejourneyorhadbeencausedbygriefnoonecouldsay.Helookedatthelittleladyshelookedathimandhefeltthathewasmelting;buthestillstoodfirmshoulderinghismusket.ThensuddenlythedoorflewopenandthedraughtofaircaughttheDancerandsheflewlikeasylphjustintothestovetotheTinSoldierandflashedupinaflameandshewasgone.ThentheTinSoldiermelteddownintoalump;andwhentheservant-maidtooktheashesoutnextdayshefoundhimintheshapeofalittletinheart.ButoftheDancernothingremainedbutthetinselroseandthatwasburnedasblackasacoal.。