theBraveTinSoldier byHansChristianAndersen（1838） theREwereoncefive-and-twentytinsoldiers，whowereallbrothers，fortheyhadbeenmadeoutofthesameoldtinspoon.Theyshoulderedarmsandlookedstraightbeforethem，andworeasplendiduni，redandblue.Thefirstthingintheworldtheyeverheardwerethewords， “Tinsoldiers”utteredbyalittleboy，whoclappedhishandswithdelightwhenthelidofthebox，inwhichtheylay，wastakenoff.Theyweregivenhimforabirthdaypresent，andhestoodatthetabletosetthemup.Thesoldierswereallexactlyalike，exceptingone，whohadonlyoneleg；
hehadbeenlefttothelast，andthentherewasnotenoughofthemeltedtintofinishhim，sotheymadehimtostandfirmlyononeleg，andthiscausedhimtobeveryremarkable. thetableonwhichthetinsoldiersstood，wascoveredwithotherplaythings，butthemostattractivetotheeyewasaprettylittlepapercastle.Throughthesmallwindowstheroomscouldbeseen.Infrontofthecastleanumberoflittletreessurroundedapieceoflooking-glass，whichwasintendedtorepresentatransparentlake.Swans，madeofwax，swamonthelake，andwerereflectedinit.Allthiswasverypretty，buttheprettiestofallwasatinylittlelady，whostoodattheopendoorofthecastle；
she，also，wasmadeofpaper，andsheworeadressofclearmuslin，withanarrowblueribbonoverhershouldersjustlikeascarf.Infrontofthesewasfixedaglitteringtinselrose，aslargeasherwholeface.Thelittleladywasadancer，andshestretchedoutbothherarms，andraisedoneofherlegssohigh，thatthetinsoldiercouldnotseeitatall，andhethoughtthatshe，likehimself，hadonlyoneleg. “Thatisthewifee，”hethought；
“butsheistoogrand，andlivesinacastle，whileIhaveonlyaboxtolivein，five-and-twentyofusaltogether，thatisnoplaceforher.StillImusttryandmakeheracquaintance.”Thenhelaidhimselfatfulllengthonthetablebehindasnuff-boxthatstooduponit，sothathecouldpeepatthelittledelicatelady，whocontinuedtostandononelegwithoutlosingherbalance.Wheneveningcame，theothertinsoldierswereallplacedinthebox，andthepeopleofthehousewenttobed.Thentheplaythingsbegantohavetheirowngamestogether，topayvisits，tohaveshamfights，andtogiveballs.Thetinsoldiersrattledintheirbox；
theywantedtogetoutandjointheamusements，buttheycouldnotopenthelid.Thenut-crackersplayedatleap-frog，andthepenciljumpedaboutthetable.Therewassuchanoisethatthecanarywokeupandbegantotalk，andinpoetrytoo.Onlythetinsoldierandthedancerremainedintheirplaces.Shestoodontiptoe，withherlegsstretchedout，asfirmlyashedidonhisoneleg.Henevertookhiseyesfromherforevenamoment.Theclockstrucktwelve，and，withabounce，upsprangthelidofthesnuff-box；
but，insteadofsnuff，therejumpedupalittleblackgoblin；
forthesnuff-boxwasatoypuzzle. “Tinsoldier，”saidthegoblin， “dontwishforwhatdoesnotbelongtoyou.” Butthetinsoldierpretendednottohear. “Verywell；
waittillto-morrow，then，”saidthegoblin. Whenthechildrencameinthenextmorning，theyplacedthetinsoldierinthewindow.Now，whetheritwasthegoblinwhodidit，orthedraught，isnotknown，butthewindowflewopen，andoutfellthetinsoldier，heelsoverhead，fromthethirdstory，intothestreetbeneath.Itwasaterriblefall；
forhecameheaddownwards，hishelmetandhisbayonetstuckinbetweentheflagstones，andhisonelegupintheair.Theservantmaidandthelittleboywentdownstairsdirectlytolookforhim；
buthewasnowheretobeseen，althoughoncetheynearlytroduponhim.Ifhehadcalledout， “HereIam，”itwouldhavebeenallright，buthewastooproudtocryoutforhelpwhileheworeauni. Presentlyitbegantorain，andthedropsfellfasterandfaster，tilltherewasaheavyshower.Whenitwasover，twoboyshappenedtopassby，andoneofthemsaid， “Look，thereisatinsoldier.Heoughttohaveaboattosailin.” Sotheymadeaboatoutofanewspaper，andplacedthetinsoldierinit，andsenthimsailingdownthegutter，whilethetwoboysranbythesideofit，andclappedtheirhands.Goodgracious，whatlargewavesaroseinthatgutterandhowfastthestreamrolledonfortherainhadbeenveryheavy.Thepaperboatrockedupanddown，andturneditselfroundsometimessoquicklythatthetinsoldiertrembled；
yetheremainedfirm；
hiscountenancedidnotchange；
helookedstraightbeforehim，andshoulderedhismusket.Suddenlytheboatshotunderabridgewhichedapartofadrain，andthenitwasasdarkasthetinsoldiersbox. “WhereamIgoingnow”thoughthe. “Thisistheblackgoblinsfault，Iamsure.Ah，well，ifthelittleladywereonlyherewithmeintheboat，Ishouldnotcareforanydarkness.” Suddenlythere