THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER

STEADY TIN SOLDIER (Den Standhaftige tinsoldat) - the hero of H.K. Andersen's fairy tale "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" (1838), a symbol of unbending courage and perseverance. His fate is described briefly, but it is full of events, although implausible, but convincing in this magical world where people, animals and toys coexist in a complex unity. He is one of twenty-five toy soldiers, "mother's brothers to the old pewter spoon," who were given as a birthday present to a little boy. From their brothers S.O.S. differed in that it was one-legged (there was not enough tin), but it stood firmly and firmly on its one leg. There were many wonderful things in the toy world of the nursery where the soldiers got into, but most of all the hero was attracted by the paper Dancer, who also stood on one leg - she raised the other so high that the soldier did not see her and decided that she and the Dancer were comrades in misfortune. Of course, he could only dream that such a beauty would seriously pay attention to him. But it so happened that the fate of S.O.S. turned out to be remarkably amazing. He - nature, like a soldier and, so to speak, like Tin, simple, but not like a toy, orderly and delicate - lived a short and amazing life. Separate details of his encounter with outside world, where he got, falling out of the window, are phantasmagoric: what is worth, for example, a rat demanding a passport from a soldier sailing on a boat made of newsprint. Having successfully passed the collision with the rat, he completely found himself in the power of the water element (from the stream he fell into the river) and even, like the biblical Jonah, ended up in the womb, though not of a whale, but of an unknown fish, from which he was again expelled into his old nursery, to the same children and toys. But his fate, despite its remarkableness, did not work out from the very beginning, from that very missing leg. This story ended badly. One of the boys threw it into the fireplace, and it turned into a small piece of tin. Melted to the very heart. And yet the story ended well - the wind that burst into the room threw the little paper Dancer into the stove. So they died together.

Lit .: Braude L. Creation of a literary fairy tale

// Braude L. Scandinavian literary tale. M., 1979. S. 44-98; Braude L. Hans Christian Andersen and his collections Tales Told to Children and New Tales

//Andersen H.K. Tales told to children. New fairy tales. M., 1983. S.279-320.

T.N. Sukhanova

literary heroes. - Academician. 2009 .

See what the "STEADY TIN SOLDIER" is in other dictionaries:

Steadfast Tin Soldier ... Wikipedia

The Steadfast Tin Soldier (cartoon, 1976) "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" Soviet cartoon, 1976 adaptation of the fairy tale by H. H. Andersen. Worked on the film Screenwriter: A. Akhundova Director: L. Milchin Decorators: I. Svetlitsa, I. ... ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Soldiers (meanings). A soldier representing a French huntsman in Africa. Soldier, toy soldier is miniature ... Wikipedia

"Andersen" redirects here; see also other meanings. Wikipedia has articles about other people with this last name, see Andersen. Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ... Wikipedia

Tin- (Tin) Metal tin, mining and deposits of tin, production and use of metal information about metal tin, properties of tin, deposits and mining of tin, production and use of metal Contents Definition of the term History ... ... Encyclopedia of the investor

Wikipedia has articles about other people with that surname, see Efimov. Andrei Efimov Name at birth: Efimov, Andrei Mikhailovich Occupation: actor puppeteer Date of birth ... Wikipedia

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen (1869) Date of birth: April 2, 1805 Place of birth: Odense, Denmark Date of death: August 4, 1875 Place of death ... Wikipedia

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen (1869) Date of birth: April 2, 1805 Place of birth: Odense, Denmark Date of death: August 4, 1875 Place of death ... Wikipedia

Books

• The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Andersen, Hans Christian. The collection includes three fairy tales by the famous Dane H.-K. Andersen (1805-1875): The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Swineherd, and The Wild Swans. Andersen's fairy tales have long become classics of the world ...

listen to a fairy tale The Steadfast Tin Soldier online:

There were once twenty-five tin soldiers, mother's brothers - an old tin spoon, a gun on his shoulder, a straight head, a red and blue uniform - well, what a charm for soldiers! The first words they heard when they opened their box house were: "Ah, tin soldiers!" It was shouted, clapping his hands, by a little boy who was presented with tin soldiers on his birthday. And he immediately began to arrange them on the table. All the soldiers were exactly the same, except for one, which was with one leg. He was cast last, and the tin was a little short, but he stood on his foot as firmly as the others on two; and he just turned out to be the most remarkable of all.

On the table where the soldiers found themselves, there were many different toys, but the palace made of cardboard was most striking. Through the small windows one could see the palace chambers; in front of the palace, around a small mirror that depicted a lake, there were trees, and wax swans swam and admired their reflection on the lake. All this was a miracle, how sweet, but the sweetest of all was the young lady who stood on the very threshold of the palace. She, too, was cut out of paper and dressed in a skirt of the finest cambric; over her shoulder was a narrow blue ribbon in the form of a scarf, and on her chest sparkled a rosette the size of the face of the young lady herself. The young lady stood on one leg, arms outstretched - she was a dancer - and raised the other leg so high that our soldier did not see her, and thought that the beauty was also one-legged, like him.

“I wish I had such a wife! he thought. - Only she, apparently, from the nobles, lives in the palace, and I only have that box, and even then there are twenty-five of us packed in it, she does not belong there! But it doesn't hurt to get to know each other."

And he hid behind a snuffbox, which stood right there on the table; from here he could perfectly see the lovely dancer, who was still standing on one leg, not losing her balance.

Late in the evening, all the other tin soldiers were put in a box, and all the people in the house went to bed. Now the toys themselves began to play as guests, at war and at the ball. The tin soldiers began to knock on the walls of the box - they also wanted to play, but they could not lift the lids. The Nutcracker tumbled, the lead wrote on the board; there was such a noise and uproar that the canary woke up and also spoke, and even in verse! Only the dancer and the tin soldier did not budge: she still held on to her outstretched toe, stretching her arms forward, he stood cheerfully and did not take his eyes off her.

It struck twelve. Click! - the snuffbox opened.

There was no tobacco, but a little black troll was sitting; the snuffbox was with a focus!

Tin soldier, - said the troll, - there is nothing for you to look at!

The tin soldier didn't seem to hear.

Well, wait! - said the troll.

In the morning the children got up and put the tin soldier on the window.

Suddenly - whether by the grace of a troll or from a draft - the window flew open, and our soldier flew headlong down from the third floor - only his ears whistled! A minute - and he was already standing on the pavement with his foot up: his head in a helmet and a gun were stuck between the pavement stones.

The boy and the maid immediately ran out in search, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not find the soldier; they almost stepped on him with their feet, and yet they did not notice him. He shouts to them: "I'm here!" - they, of course, would immediately find him, but he considered it indecent to shout in the street, he wore a uniform!

It started to rain; stronger, stronger, finally poured downpour. When it cleared up again, two street boys came.

Look! - said one. - There is a tin soldier! Let's send him sailing!

And they made a boat out of newsprint, put a tin soldier in it and let it into the groove. The boys themselves ran around and clapped their hands. Well well! That's how the waves went along the groove! The current carried on - no wonder after such a downpour!

The boat was thrown and turned in all directions, so that the tin soldier was trembling all over, but he held on steadfastly: a gun on his shoulder, head straight, chest forward!

The boat was carried under the long walkways: it became so dark, as if the soldier had again fallen into the box.

“Where is it taking me? he thought. - Yes, it's all the jokes of the ugly troll! Oh, if that beauty were sitting with me in the boat - for me, be at least twice as dark!

At that moment, a large rat jumped out from under the bridge.

Do you have a passport? she asked. - Give me your passport!

But the tin soldier was silent and clutched his gun even tighter. The boat was carried away, and the rat swam after it. Wu! How she gnashed her teeth and shouted to the chips and straws floating towards:

Hold it, hold it! He did not pay the duty, did not show his passport!

But the current carried the boat faster and faster, and the tin soldier had already seen the light ahead, when he suddenly heard such a terrible noise that any brave man would have chickened out. Imagine, at the end of the bridge, the water from the groove rushed into a large channel! It was as scary for the soldier as it was for us to rush in a boat to a large waterfall.

But the soldier was carried farther and farther, it was impossible to stop. The boat with the soldier slid down; the poor fellow was as steadfast as ever, and did not even bat an eyelid. The boat spun... One, two - filled with water to the brim and began to sink. The tin soldier found himself up to his neck in the water; further more ... the water covered him with his head! Then he thought of his beauty: not to see him again. In his ears sounded:

Strive forward, o warrior,
And meet death calmly!

The paper was torn, and the tin soldier was about to sink, but at the same moment he was swallowed by a fish. What darkness! Worse than under the bridges, and even fear how crowded! But the tin soldier held firm and lay stretched out at full length, holding his gun tightly to him.

The fish darted back and forth, made the most amazing jumps, but suddenly froze, as if lightning had struck it. A light flashed and someone shouted: "Tin soldier!" The fact is that the fish was caught, brought to the market, then it got into the kitchen, and the cook cut open her belly with a large knife. The cook took the tin soldier by the waist with two fingers and carried him into the room, where all the households ran to look at the wonderful traveler. But the tin soldier was not at all proud. They put him on the table, and - something that does not happen in the world! - he found himself in the same room, saw the same children, the same toys and a wonderful palace with a lovely little dancer. She still stood on one leg, holding the other high. That's so resilience! The tin soldier was touched and nearly burst into tears with tin, but that would have been indecent, and he restrained himself. He looked at her, she at him, but they did not say a word.

Suddenly one of the boys grabbed a tin soldier and for no reason threw him right into the stove. It must have been a troll setting it all up! The tin soldier stood engulfed in flames: he was terribly hot, from fire or love - he himself did not know. The colors have completely peeled off from him, he has shed all over; who knows from what - from the road or from grief? He looked at the dancer, she looked at him, and he felt that he was melting, but he still held on steadfastly, with a gun on his shoulder. Suddenly the door in the room flew open, the wind picked up the dancer, and like a sylph, she fluttered right into the stove to the tin soldier, flared up at once and - the end! And the tin soldier melted and melted into a lump. The next day the maid was raking the ashes out of the stove and found a small pewter heart; from the dancer, only one rosette was left, and even that one was all burned and blackened like coal.

There were once twenty-five tin soldiers in the world, all brothers, because they were born from an old tin spoon. A gun on his shoulder, looking straight ahead, and what a magnificent uniform - red and blue! They lay in a box, and when the lid was removed, the first thing they heard was:

Oh, tin soldiers!

It was a little boy who screamed and clapped his hands. They were given to him for his birthday, and he immediately arranged them on the table.

All Soldiers turned out to be exactly the same, and only

the only one was a little different from everyone else: he had only one leg, because he was cast last, and there was not enough tin. But even on one leg he stood as firmly as the rest on two, and now a wonderful story will happen to him.

There were many other toys on the table where the soldiers ended up, but the most noticeable was a beautiful palace made of cardboard. Through the small windows one could look directly into the halls. In front of the palace, around a small mirror that depicted a lake, there were trees, and wax swans swam across the lake and looked into it.

It was all very sweet, but the sweetest of all was the girl who stood at the door of the castle. She, too, was cut out of paper, but her skirt was of the finest cambric; over her shoulder was a narrow blue ribbon, like a scarf, and on her chest sparkled a sparkle no smaller than the head of the girl herself. The girl stood on one leg, her arms outstretched in front of her - she was a dancer - and threw the other so high that the tin soldier did not see her, and therefore decided that she was also one-legged, like him.

“I wish I had such a wife! he thought. - Only she, you see, from the nobles, lives in the palace, and I only have something like a box, and even then there are twenty-five of us in it, there is no place for her there! But you can meet!

And he hid behind a snuffbox, which was right there on the table. From here he had a perfect view of the lovely dancer.

In the evening, all the other tin soldiers, except for him alone, were placed in a box, and the people in the house went to bed. And the toys themselves began to play

And to visit, and to the war, and to the ball. The tin soldiers stirred in the box - they also wanted to play - but they could not lift the lid. The Nutcracker tumbled, the stylus danced across the board. There was such a noise and uproar that the canary woke up and how it whistled, and not just, but in verse! Only the tin soldier and the dancer did not move. She still stood on one toe, her arms outstretched, and he stood bravely on his only leg and did not take his eyes off her.

It struck twelve, and - click! - the lid of the snuff box bounced off, only it turned out to be not tobacco, no, but a small black troll. The snuffbox was with a focus.

Tin soldier, - said the troll, - don't look where you don't need to!

But the tin soldier pretended not to hear.

Well wait, here comes the morning! - said the troll.

And the morning came; the children got up and put the tin soldier on the windowsill. Suddenly, by the grace of a troll, or from a draft, the window will burst open, and the soldier will fly headfirst from the third floor! It was a terrible flight. The soldier threw bliss into the air, stuck his helmet and bayonet between the stones of the pavement, and stuck upside down.

The boy and the maid immediately ran out to look for him, but they could not see him, although they almost stepped on him with their feet. He shouts to them: "I'm here!" - they probably would have found him, but it just didn’t become for a soldier to shout at the top of his lungs - after all, he was wearing a uniform.

It began to rain, the drops fell more and more often, and finally a real downpour poured. When it was over, two street boys came.

Look! - said one. - There is a tin soldier! Let's send him to the sea!

And they made a boat out of newsprint, put a tin soldier in it, and it floated through the gutter. The boys ran around and clapped their hands. Fathers, what waves were moving along the ditch, what a swift current it was! Still, after such a downpour!

The ship was thrown up and down and turned so that the tin soldier was trembling all over, but he held on steadfastly - a gun on his shoulder, head straight, chest forward.

Suddenly the ship dived under a long walkway across a ditch. It became so dark, as if the soldier had fallen into the box again.

“Where is it taking me? he thought. - Yes, yes, all this is the tricks of the troll! Oh, if that young lady were sitting with me in the boat, then be at least twice as dark, and then nothing!

Then a large water rat appeared, which lived under the footbridges.

Do you have a passport? she asked. - Show your passport!

But the tin soldier filled his mouth like water and only gripped the gun even tighter. The ship carried everything forward and forward, and the rat swam after it. Wu! How she gnashed her teeth, how she shouted to the chips and straws floating towards:

Hold it! Hold on! He didn't pay the toll! He's passportless!

But the current grew stronger and stronger, and the tin soldier could already see the light ahead, when suddenly there was such a noise that any brave man would have been frightened. Imagine, at the end of the bridge, a gutter emptied into a large canal. For the soldier it was as dangerous as for us to rush in a boat to a large waterfall.

Now the channel is already very close, it is impossible to stop. The ship was carried out from under the bridge, the poor fellow held on as best he could, and did not even blink an eye. The ship was turned three, four times, filled with water to the brim, and it began to sink.

The soldier was up to his neck in the water, and the boat sank deeper and deeper, the paper soaked. Now the water covered the soldier with his head, and then he thought about the lovely little dancer - he would not see her again. He heard in his ears:

Strive forward, warrior,

Death will overtake you!

Then the paper completely unraveled, and the soldier went to the bottom, but at the same moment he was swallowed by a big fish.

Oh, how dark it was inside, even worse than under the bridge over the gutter, and cramped to boot! But the tin soldier did not lose courage and lay stretched out to his full height, not letting go of the gun ...

The fish came in circles, began to make the most outlandish jumps. Suddenly she froze as if struck by lightning. A light flashed, and someone shouted: "Tin soldier!" It turns out that the fish was caught, brought to the market, sold, brought to the kitchen, and the cook cut open her belly with a large knife. Then the cook took the soldier with two fingers by the small of his back and brought him into the room. Everyone wanted to look at such a wonderful little man - still, he made a trip in the belly of a fish! But the tin soldier was not at all proud. They put it on the table, and - what only miracles do not happen in the world! - he found himself in the same room, saw the same children, the same toys were on the table and a wonderful palace with a lovely little dancer. She still stood on one leg, throwing up the other high - she, too, was steadfast. The soldier was touched and almost burst into tears of tin tears, but that would have been unattractive. He looked at her, she at him, but they did not say a word to each other.

Suddenly, one of the kids grabbed a tin soldier and threw it into the stove, although the soldier was not guilty of anything. This, of course, was set up by the troll that was sitting in the snuffbox.

The tin soldier stood in flames, he was seized by a terrible heat, but whether it was fire or love, he did not know. The color had completely disappeared from him, no one could say why - from travel or from grief. He looked at the little dancer, she looked at him, and he felt that he was melting, but he still held firm, not letting go of the gun. Suddenly the door to the room flung open, the dancer was caught by the wind, and like a sylph, she fluttered right into the stove to the tin soldier, flared up at once - and she was gone. And the tin soldier melted into a ball, and the next morning the maid, shoveling out the ashes, found a tin heart instead of the soldier. And from the dancer there was only one sparkle, and she was burnt and black, like coal.

There were once twenty-five tin soldiers, mother's brothers - an old tin spoon, a gun on his shoulder, a straight head, a red and blue uniform - well, what a charm for soldiers! The first words they heard when they opened their box house were: "Ah, tin soldiers!" It was shouted, clapping his hands, by a little boy who was presented with tin soldiers on his birthday. And he immediately began to arrange them on the table. All the soldiers were exactly the same, except for one, which was with one leg. He was cast last, and the tin was a little short, but he stood on his foot as firmly as the others on two; and he just turned out to be the most remarkable of all.

On the table where the soldiers found themselves, there were many different toys, but the palace made of cardboard was most striking. Through the small windows one could see the palace chambers; in front of the palace, around a small mirror that depicted a lake, there were trees, and wax swans swam and admired their reflection on the lake. All this was a miracle, how sweet, but the sweetest of all was the young lady who stood on the very threshold of the palace. She, too, was cut out of paper and dressed in a skirt of the finest cambric; over her shoulder was a narrow blue ribbon in the form of a scarf, and on her chest sparkled a rosette the size of the face of the young lady herself. The young lady stood on one leg, arms outstretched - she was a dancer - and raised the other leg so high that our soldier did not see her, and thought that the beauty was also one-legged, like him.

“I wish I had such a wife! he thought. - Only she, apparently, from the nobles, lives in the palace, and I only have that box, and even then there are twenty-five of us packed in it, she does not belong there! But it doesn't hurt to get to know each other."

And he hid behind a snuffbox, which stood right there on the table; from here he could perfectly see the lovely dancer, who was still standing on one leg, not losing her balance.

Late in the evening, all the other tin soldiers were put in a box, and all the people in the house went to bed. Now the toys themselves began to play as guests, at war and at the ball. The tin soldiers began to knock on the walls of the box - they also wanted to play, but they could not lift the lids. The Nutcracker tumbled, the lead wrote on the board; there was such a noise and uproar that the canary woke up and also spoke, and even in verse! Only the dancer and the tin soldier did not budge: she still held on to her outstretched toe, stretching her arms forward, he stood cheerfully and did not take his eyes off her.

It struck twelve. Click! - the snuffbox opened.

There was no tobacco, but a little black troll was sitting; the snuffbox was with a focus!

Tin soldier, - said the troll, - there is nothing for you to look at!

The tin soldier didn't seem to hear.

Well, wait! - said the troll.

In the morning the children got up and put the tin soldier on the window.

Suddenly - whether by the grace of a troll or from a draft - the window flew open, and our soldier flew headlong down from the third floor - only his ears whistled! A minute - and he was already standing on the pavement with his foot up: his head in a helmet and a gun were stuck between the pavement stones.

The boy and the maid immediately ran out in search, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not find the soldier; they almost stepped on him with their feet, and yet they did not notice him. He shouts to them: "I'm here!" - they, of course, would immediately find him, but he considered it indecent to shout in the street, he wore a uniform!

It started to rain; stronger, stronger, finally poured downpour. When it cleared up again, two street boys came.

Look! - said one. - There is a tin soldier! Let's send him sailing!

And they made a boat out of newsprint, put a tin soldier in it and let it into the groove. The boys themselves ran around and clapped their hands. Well well! That's how the waves went along the groove! The current carried on - no wonder after such a downpour!

The boat was thrown and turned in all directions, so that the tin soldier was trembling all over, but he held on steadfastly: a gun on his shoulder, head straight, chest forward!

The boat was carried under the long walkways: it became so dark, as if the soldier had again fallen into the box.

“Where is it taking me? he thought. - Yes, it's all the jokes of the ugly troll! Oh, if that beauty were sitting with me in the boat - for me, be at least twice as dark!

At that moment, a large rat jumped out from under the bridge.

Do you have a passport? she asked. - Give me your passport!

But the tin soldier was silent and clutched his gun even tighter. The boat was carried away, and the rat swam after it. Wu! How she gnashed her teeth and shouted to the chips and straws floating towards:

Hold it, hold it! He did not pay the duty, did not show his passport!

But the current carried the boat faster and faster, and the tin soldier had already seen the light ahead, when he suddenly heard such a terrible noise that any brave man would have chickened out. Imagine, at the end of the bridge, the water from the groove rushed into a large channel! It was as scary for the soldier as it was for us to rush in a boat to a large waterfall.

But the soldier was carried farther and farther, it was impossible to stop. The boat with the soldier slid down; the poor fellow was as steadfast as ever, and did not even bat an eyelid. The boat spun... One, two - filled with water to the brim and began to sink. The tin soldier found himself up to his neck in the water; further more ... the water covered him with his head! Then he thought of his beauty: not to see him again. In his ears sounded:

Strive forward, o warrior,
And meet death calmly!

The paper was torn, and the tin soldier was about to sink, but at the same moment he was swallowed by a fish. What darkness! Worse than under the bridges, and even fear how crowded! But the tin soldier held firm and lay stretched out at full length, holding his gun tightly to him.

The fish darted back and forth, made the most amazing jumps, but suddenly froze, as if lightning had struck it. A light flashed and someone shouted: "Tin soldier!" The fact is that the fish was caught, brought to the market, then it got into the kitchen, and the cook cut open her belly with a large knife. The cook took the tin soldier by the waist with two fingers and carried him into the room, where all the households ran to look at the wonderful traveler. But the tin soldier was not at all proud. They put him on the table, and - something that does not happen in the world! - he found himself in the same room, saw the same children, the same toys and a wonderful palace with a lovely little dancer. She still stood on one leg, holding the other high. That's so resilience! The tin soldier was touched and nearly burst into tears with tin, but that would have been indecent, and he restrained himself. He looked at her, she at him, but they did not say a word.

Suddenly one of the boys grabbed a tin soldier and for no reason threw him right into the stove. It must have been a troll setting it all up! The tin soldier stood engulfed in flames: he was terribly hot, from fire or love - he himself did not know. The colors have completely peeled off from him, he has shed all over; who knows from what - from the road or from grief? He looked at the dancer, she looked at him, and he felt that he was melting, but he still held on steadfastly, with a gun on his shoulder. Suddenly the door in the room flew open, the wind picked up the dancer, and like a sylph, she fluttered right into the stove to the tin soldier, flared up at once and - the end! And the tin soldier melted and melted into a lump. The next day the maid was raking the ashes out of the stove and found a small pewter heart; from the dancer, only one rosette was left, and even that one was all burned and blackened like coal.

There were once twenty-five tin soldiers in the world, all brothers, because they were born from an old tin spoon. A gun on his shoulder, looking straight ahead, and what a magnificent uniform - red and blue! They lay in a box, and when the lid was removed, the first thing they heard was:

— Oh, tin soldiers!

It was a little boy who screamed and clapped his hands. They were given to him for his birthday, and he immediately arranged them on the table.

All Soldiers turned out to be exactly the same, and only

the only one was a little different from everyone else: he had only one leg, because he was cast last, and there was not enough tin. But even on one leg he stood as firmly as the rest on two, and now a wonderful story will happen to him.

There were many other toys on the table where the soldiers ended up, but the most noticeable was a beautiful palace made of cardboard. Through the small windows one could look directly into the halls. In front of the palace, around a small mirror that depicted a lake, there were trees, and wax swans swam across the lake and looked into it.

It was all very sweet, but the sweetest of all was the girl who stood at the door of the castle. She, too, was cut out of paper, but her skirt was of the finest cambric; over her shoulder was a narrow blue ribbon, like a scarf, and on her chest sparkled a sparkle no smaller than the head of the girl herself. The girl stood on one leg, her arms stretched out in front of her - she was a dancer - and threw the other so high that the tin soldier did not see her, and therefore decided that she was also one-legged, like him.

"I wish I had such a wife," he thought. there! But you can get to know each other!"

And he hid behind a snuffbox, which was right there on the table. From here he had a perfect view of the lovely dancer.

In the evening, all the other tin soldiers, except for him alone, were placed in a box, and the people in the house went to bed. And the toys themselves began to play

- and to visit, and to the war, and to the ball. The tin soldiers stirred in the box, because they also wanted to play, but they could not lift the lid. The Nutcracker tumbled, the stylus danced across the board. There was such a noise and uproar that the canary woke up and how it whistled, and not just, but in verse! Only the tin soldier and the dancer did not move. She still stood on one toe, her arms outstretched, and he stood bravely on his only leg and did not take his eyes off her.

It struck twelve, and - click! - the lid of the snuff box bounced off, only it turned out not to be tobacco, no, but a small black troll. The snuffbox was with a focus.

“Tin soldier,” said the troll, “don’t look where you don’t belong!”

But the tin soldier pretended not to hear.

- Well, wait, here comes the morning! the troll said.

And the morning came; the children got up and put the tin soldier on the windowsill. Suddenly, by the grace of a troll, or from a draft, the window will burst open, and the soldier will fly headfirst from the third floor! It was a terrible flight. The soldier threw bliss into the air, stuck his helmet and bayonet between the stones of the pavement, and stuck upside down.

The boy and the maid immediately ran out to look for him, but they could not see him, although they almost stepped on him with their feet. Shout it to them: "I'm here!" - they probably would have found him, but it just didn’t become a soldier to shout at the top of his lungs - after all, he was wearing a uniform.

It began to rain, the drops fell more and more often, and finally a real downpour poured. When it was over, two street boys came.

— Look! one said. "There's the tin soldier!" Let's send him to the sea!

And they made a boat out of newsprint, put a tin soldier in it, and it floated through the gutter. The boys ran around and clapped their hands. Fathers, what waves were moving along the ditch, what a swift current it was! Still, after such a downpour!

The ship was thrown up and down and turned so that the tin soldier trembled all over, but he held on steadfastly - a gun on his shoulder, head straight, chest forward.

Suddenly the ship dived under a long walkway across a ditch. It became so dark, as if the soldier had fallen into the box again.

“Where is it taking me?” he thought. “Yes, yes, all this is the tricks of a troll! Ah, if that young lady were sitting with me in the boat, then be at least twice as dark, and then nothing!”

Then a large water rat appeared, which lived under the footbridges.

- Do you have a passport? she asked. - Show me your passport!

But the tin soldier filled his mouth like water and only gripped the gun even tighter. The ship carried everything forward and forward, and the rat swam after it. Wu! How she gnashed her teeth, how she shouted to the chips and straws floating towards:

- Hold him! Hold on! He didn't pay the toll! He's passportless!

But the current grew stronger and stronger, and the tin soldier could already see the light ahead, when suddenly there was such a noise that any brave man would have been frightened. Imagine, at the end of the bridge, a gutter emptied into a large canal. For the soldier it was as dangerous as for us to rush in a boat to a large waterfall.

Now the channel is already very close, it is impossible to stop. The ship was carried out from under the bridge, the poor fellow held on as best he could, and did not even blink an eye. The ship was turned three, four times, filled with water to the brim, and it began to sink.

The soldier was up to his neck in the water, and the boat sank deeper and deeper, the paper soaked. Now the water covered the soldier with his head, and then he thought of the lovely little dancer - he would not see her again. He heard in his ears:

Strive forward, warrior,

Death will overtake you!

Then the paper completely unraveled, and the soldier went to the bottom, but at the same moment he was swallowed by a big fish.

Oh, how dark it was inside, even worse than under the bridge over the gutter, and cramped to boot! But the tin soldier did not lose courage and lay stretched out to his full height, not letting go of the gun ...

The fish came in circles, began to make the most outlandish jumps. Suddenly she froze as if struck by lightning. A light flashed, and someone shouted: "Tin soldier!" It turns out that the fish was caught, brought to the market, sold, brought to the kitchen, and the cook cut open her belly with a large knife. Then the cook took the soldier with two fingers by the small of his back and brought him into the room. Everyone wanted to look at such a wonderful little man - still, he made a trip in the belly of a fish! But the tin soldier was not at all proud. They put him on the table, and - what only miracles do not happen in the world! - he found himself in the same room, saw the same children, the same toys were on the table and a wonderful palace with a lovely little dancer. She still stood on one leg, with the other held high—she, too, was steadfast. The soldier was touched and almost burst into tears of tin tears, but that would have been unattractive. He looked at her, she at him, but they did not say a word to each other.

Suddenly, one of the kids grabbed a tin soldier and threw it into the stove, although the soldier was not guilty of anything. This, of course, was set up by the troll that was sitting in the snuffbox.

The tin soldier stood in flames, he was seized by a terrible heat, but whether it was fire or love, he did not know. The color had completely gone from him, no one could say why - from travel or from grief. He looked at the little dancer, she looked at him, and he felt that he was melting, but he still held firm, not letting go of the gun. Suddenly the door to the room flung open, the wind caught the dancer, and like a sylph, she fluttered right into the stove to the tin soldier, flared up at once - and she was gone. And the tin soldier melted into a ball, and the next morning the maid, shoveling out the ashes, found a tin heart instead of the soldier. And from the dancer there was only one sparkle, and she was burnt and black, like coal.