Стойкий оловянный солдатик

           Thelittleladyheldoutbothherarms,asaballetdancerdoes, andonelegwasliftedsohighbehindherthatthetinsoldiercouldn’tseeitatall, andhesupposedshemusthaveonlyoneleg,ashedid. 

           "Thatwouldbeawifeforme,"hethought. "Butmaybeshe’stoogrand.Shelivesinacastle. Ihaveonlyabox,withfour-and-twentyroommatestoshareit. That’snoplaceforher. ButImusttrytomakeheracquaintance." Stillasstiffaswhenhestoodatattention,helaydownonthetablebehindasnuffbox, wherehecouldadmirethedaintylittledancer whokeptstandingononelegwithouteverlosingherbalance. 

           Whentheeveningcametheothertinsoldierswereputawayintheirbox, andthepeopleofthehousewenttobed. Nowthetoysbegantoplayamongthemselvesatvisits,andbattles,andatgivingballs. Thetinsoldiersrattledaboutintheirbox,fortheywantedtoplaytoo,buttheycouldnotgetthelidopen. Thenutcrackerturnedsomersaults,andtheslatepencilsqueakedoutjokesontheslate. Thetoysmadesuchanoisethattheywokeupthecanarybird,whomadethemaspeech,allinverse. Theonlytwowhostayedstillwerethetinsoldierandthelittledancer. Withouteverswervingfromthetipofonetoe, sheheldoutherarmstohim,andthetinsoldierwasjustassteadfastonhisoneleg. Notoncedidhetakehiseyesoffher. 

           Thentheclockstrucktwelveand-clack! -uppoppedthelidofthesnuffbox. Buttherewasnosnuffinit,no-outbouncedalittleblackbogey,ajack-in-the-box.