FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　BRAVE　TIN　SOLDIER
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THERE　were　once　five…and…twenty　tin　soldiers；　who　were　all
  brothers；　for　they　had　been　made　out　of　the　same　old　tin　spoon。　They
  shouldered　arms　and　looked　straight　before　them；　and　wore　a　splendid
  uniform；　red　and　blue。　The　first　thing　in　the　world　they　ever　heard
  were　the　words；　〃Tin　soldiers！〃　uttered　by　a　little　boy；　who　clapped
  his　hands　with　delight　when　the　lid　of　the　box；　in　which　they　lay；　was
  taken　off。　They　were　given　him　for　a　birthday　present；　and　he　stood　at
  the　table　to　set　them　up。　The　soldiers　were　all　exactly　alike；
  excepting　one；　who　had　only　one　leg；　he　had　been　left　to　the　last；　and
  then　there　was　not　enough　of　the　melted　tin　to　finish　him；　so　they
  made　him　to　stand　firmly　on　one　leg；　and　this　caused　him　to　be　very
  remarkable。
  The　table　on　which　the　tin　soldiers　stood；　was　covered　with
  other　playthings；　but　the　most　attractive　to　the　eye　was　a　pretty
  little　paper　castle。　Through　the　small　windows　the　rooms　could　be
  seen。　In　front　of　the　castle　a　number　of　little　trees　surrounded　a
  piece　of　looking…glass；　which　was　intended　to　represent　a
  transparent　lake。　Swans；　made　of　wax；　swam　on　the　lake；　and　were
  reflected　in　it。　All　this　was　very　pretty；　but　the　prettiest　of　all
  was　a　tiny　little　lady；　who　stood　at　the　open　door　of　the　castle；　she；
  also；　was　made　of　paper；　and　she　wore　a　dress　of　clear　muslin；　with
  a　narrow　blue　ribbon　over　her　shoulders　just　like　a　scarf。　In　front　of
  these　was　fixed　a　glittering　tinsel　rose；　as　large　as　her　whole
  face。　The　little　lady　was　a　dancer；　and　she　stretched　out　both　her
  arms；　and　raised　one　of　her　legs　so　high；　that　the　tin　soldier　could
  not　see　it　at　all；　and　he　thought　that　she；　like　himself；　had　only　one
  leg。　〃That　is　the　wife　for　me；〃　he　thought；　〃but　she　is　too　grand；　and
  lives　in　a　castle；　while　I　have　only　a　box　to　live　in；　five…and…twenty
  of　us　altogether；　that　is　no　place　for　her。　Still　I　must　try　and
  make　her　acquaintance。〃　Then　he　laid　himself　at　full　length　on　the
  table　behind　a　snuff…box　that　stood　upon　it；　so　that　he　could　peep
  at　the　little　delicate　lady；　who　continued　to　stand　on　one　leg　without
  losing　her　balance。　When　evening　came；　the　other　tin　soldiers　were　all
  placed　in　the　box；　and　the　people　of　the　house　went　to　bed。　Then　the
  playthings　began　to　have　their　own　games　together；　to　pay　visits；　to
  have　sham　fights；　and　to　give　balls。　The　tin　soldiers　rattled　in　their
  box；　they　wanted　to　get　out　and　join　the　amusements；　but　they　could
  not　open　the　lid。　The　nut…crackers　played　at　leap…frog；　and　the　pencil
  jumped　about　the　table。　There　was　such　a　noise　that　the　canary　woke　up
  and　began　to　talk；　and　in　poetry　too。　Only　the　tin　soldier　and　the
  dancer　remained　in　their　places。　She　stood　on　tiptoe；　with　her　legs
  stretched　out；　as　firmly　as　he　did　on　his　one　leg。　He　never　took　his
  eyes　from　her　for　even　a　moment。　The　clock　struck　twelve；　and；　with
  a　bounce；　up　sprang　the　lid　of　the　snuff…box；　but；　instead　of　snuff；
  there　jumped　up　a　little　black　goblin；　for　the　snuff…box　was　a　toy
  puzzle。
  〃Tin　soldier；〃　said　the　goblin；　〃don't　wish　for　what　does　not
  belong　to　you。
  But　the　tin　soldier　pretended　not　to　hear。
  〃Very　well；　wait　till　to…morrow；　then；〃　said　the　goblin。
  When　the　children　came　in　the　next　morning；　they　placed　the　tin
  soldier　in　the　window。　Now；　whether　it　was　the　goblin　who　did　it；　or
  the　draught；　is　not　known；　but　the　window　flew　open；　and　out　fell
  the　tin　soldier；　heels　over　head；　from　the　third　story；　into　the
  street　beneath。　It　was　a　terrible　fall；　for　he　came　head　downwards；
  his　helmet　and　his　bayonet　stuck　in　between　the　flagstones；　and　his
  one　leg　up　in　the　air。　The　servant　maid　and　the　little　boy　went　down
  stairs　directly　to　look　for　him；　but　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；
  although　once　they　nearly　trod　upon　him。　If　he　had　called　out；　〃Here　I
  am；〃　it　would　have　been　all　right；　but　he　was　too　proud　to　cry　out　for
  help　while　he　wore　a　uniform。
  Presently　it　began　to　rain；　and　the　drops　fell　faster　and
  faster；　till　there　was　a　heavy　shower。　When　it　was　over；　two　boys
  happened　to　pass　by；　and　one　of　them　said；　〃Look；　there　is　a　tin
  soldier。　He　ought　to　have　a　boat　to　sail　in。〃
  So　they　made　a　boat　out　of　a　newspaper；　and　placed　the　tin　soldier
  in　it；　and　sent　him　sailing　down　the　gutter；　while　the　two　boys　ran　by
  the　side　of　it；　and　clapped　their　hands。　Good　gracious；　what　large
  waves　arose　in　that　gutter！　and　how　fast　the　stream　rolled　on！　for　the
  rain　had　been　very　heavy。　The　paper　boat　rocked　up　and　down；　and
  turned　itself　round　sometimes　so　quickly　that　the　tin　soldier
  trembled；　yet　he　remained　firm；　his　countenance　did　not　change；　he
  looked　straight　before　him；　and　shouldered　his　musket。　Suddenly　the
  boat　shot　under　a　bridge　which　formed　a　part　of　a　drain；　and　then　it
  was　as　dark　as　the　tin　soldier's　box。
  〃Where　am　I　going　now？〃　thought　he。　〃This　is　the　black　goblin's
  fault；　I　am　sure。　Ah；　well；　if　the　little　lady　were　only　here　with
  me　in　the　boat；　I　should　not　care　for　any　darkness。〃
  Suddenly　there　appeared　a　great　water…rat；　who　lived　in　the　drain。
  〃Have　you　a　passport？〃　asked　the　rat；　〃give　it　to　me　at　once。〃　But
  the　tin　soldier　remained　silent　and　held　his　musket　tighter　than　ever。
  The　boat　sailed　on　and　the　rat　followed　it。　How　he　did　gnash　his　teeth
  and　cry　out　to　the　bits　of　wood　and　straw；　〃Stop　him；　stop　him；　he　has
  not　paid　toll；　and　has　not　shown　his　pass。〃　But　the　stream　rushed　on
  stronger　and　stronger。　The　tin　soldier　could　already　see　daylight
  shining　where　the　arch　ended。　Then　he　heard　a　roaring　sound　quite
  terrible　enough　to　frighten　the　bravest　man。　At　the　end　of　the
  tunnel　the　drain　fell　into　a　large　canal　over　a　steep　place；　which
  made　it　as　dangerous　for　him　as　a　waterfall　would　be　to　us。　He　was　too
  close　to　it　to　stop；　so　the　boat　rushed　on；　and　the　poor　tin　soldier
  could　only　hold　himself　as　stiffly　as　possible；　without　moving　an
  eyelid；　to　show　that　he　was　not　afraid。　The　boat　whirled　round　three
  or　four　times；　and　then　filled　with　water　to　the　very　edge；　nothing
  could　save　it　from　sinking。　He　now　stood　up　to　his　neck　in　water；
  while　deeper　and　deeper　sank　the　boat；　and　the　paper　became　soft　and
  loose　with　the　wet；　till　at　last　the　water　closed　over　the　soldier's
  head。　He　thought　of　the　elegant　little　dancer　whom　he　should　never　see
  again；　and　the　words　of　the　song　sounded　in　his　ears…
  〃Farewell；　warrior！　ever　brave；
  Drifting　onward　to　thy　grave。〃
  Then　the　paper　boat　fell　to　pieces；　and　the　soldier　sank　into
  the　water　and　immediately　afterwards　was　swallowed　up　by　a　great　fish。
  Oh　how　dark　it　was　inside　the　fish！　A　great　deal　darker　than　in　the
  tunnel；　and　narrower　too；　but　the　tin　soldier　continued　firm；　and
  lay　at　full　length　shouldering　his　musket。　The　fish　swam　to　and　fro；
  making　the　most　wonderful　movements；　but　at　last　he　became　quite
  still。　After　a　while；　a　flash　of　lightning　seemed　to　pass　through　him；
  and　then　the　daylight　approached；　and　a　voice　cried　out；　〃I　declare
  here　is　the　tin　soldier。〃　The　fish　had　been　caught；　taken　to　the
  market　and　sold　to　the　cook；　who　took　him　into　the　kitchen　and　cut　him
  open　with　a　large　knife。　She　picked　up　the　soldier　and　held　him　by　the
  waist　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　and　carried　him　into　the　room。
  They　were　all　anxious　to　see　this　wonderful　soldier　who　had
  travelled　about　inside　a　fish；　but　he　was　not　at　all　proud。　They
  placed　him　on　the　table；　and…　how　many　curious　things　do　happen　in　the
  world！…　there　he　was　in　the　very　same　room　from　the　window　of　which　he
  had　fallen；　there　were　the　same　children；　the　same　playthings；
  standing　on　the　table；　and　the　pretty　castle　with　the　elegant　little
  dancer　at　the　door；　she　still　balanced　herself　on　one　leg；　and　held　up
  the　other；　so　she　was　as　firm　as　himself。　It　touched　the　tin　soldier
  so　much　to　see　her　that　he　almost　wept　tin　tears；　but　he　kept　them
  back。　He　only　looked　at　her　and　they　both　remained　silent。　Presently
  one　of　the　little　boys　took　up　the　tin　soldier；　and　threw　him　into　the
  stove。　He　had　no　reason　for　doing　so；　therefore　it　must　have　been
  the　fault　of　the　black　goblin　who　lived　in　the　snuff…box。　The　flames
  lighted　up　the　tin　soldier；　as　he　stood；　the　heat　was　very　terrible；
  but　whether　it　proceeded　from　the　real　fire　or　from　the　fire　of　love
  he　could　not　tell。　Then　he　could　see　that　the　bright　colors　were　faded
  from　his　uniform；　but　whether　they　had　been　washed　off　during　his
  journey　or　from　the　effects　of　his　sorrow；　no　one　could　say。　He　looked
  at　the　little　lady；　and　she　looked　at　him。　He　felt　himself　melting
  away；　but　he　still　remained　firm　with　his　gun　on　his　shoulder。
  Suddenly　the　door　of　the　room　flew　open　and　the　draught　of　air
  caught　up　the　little　dancer；　she　fluttered　like　a　sylph　right　into　the
  stove　by　the　side　of　the　tin　soldier；　and　was　instantly　in　flames
  and　was　gone。　The　tin　soldier　melted　do