Page:The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen (c1899).djvu/170

 148

ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES

acquaintance with her." And he laid himself at full length behind a snuff-bnx that happened to be on the table, and from thence he could peep at the delicate little lady, who continued standing on one leg without losing her balance.

Towards evening, all the other tin soldiers were put back into the box, and the people of the house went to bed ; so now the playthings began to play at various games. The tin soldiers rattled in their box, for they wanted to join the rest, but they could not lift up the lid. The nut-crackers threw somersaults, and the pencil jumped about the table ; and there was such a din that the canary-bird awoke, and began to speak, and in poetry, too. The only ones who did not move from their places, were the tin soldier and the dancer. She stood on tiptcje, and stretched out both her arms ; and he was just as persevering on his one leg. He did not take his eyes off her for a single moment.

The clock now struck twelve, when — crack! up flew the lid of the snuff-box ; there was no

snuff in it, but a little black gnome, for it was a puzzle.

" Tin soldier." said the gnome, " don't be hankering after forbidden fruit."

But the tin soldier pre- tended not to hae heard him.

" Only wait till to-mor- row," observed the gnome.

Next morning, when the children were up, the tin soldier was placed in the window ; and whether it was the gnome, or the draught, that did it, certain it is that the window flew open, and down the soldier fell, head over heels from the third storey into the street below. It was a tremendous fall ! His cap and bayonet stuck fast between the flag-stones, while his leg stood upright in the air.

The servant-girl and the little boy went downstairs immediately to look after him ; but, though they had nearly trodden upon him, they could not manage to they might have found him ; help.

ular shower.

THOUGH THEY HAD NEARLY TRODDEN UPON HIM, THEY COULD NOT MANAGE TO FIND HIM.

find him. If the tin soldier had but called out, " Here am I ! " but he did not think it consistent with his uniform to cry out for

It now began to rain. The drops fell faster and faster, and there was soon a re_ When it was over, two boys that were idling about the streets happened to pass by.

" Look," said one of them, " there lies a tin soldier. He shall have a sail in a boat."

And so they made a boat out of a newspaper, and placed the soldier inside it, and set him floating down the gutter. The two boys ran by his side, clapping their hands. But, dear me ! what waves there were in the gutter, and what a strong current ! It was, to be sure, at high water, owing to the rain. The paper boat rocked up and down, and sometimes whirled round so fast that the tin soldier trembled ; yet he remained at his post, made no faces, looked straight before him, and shouldered his musket.

On a sudden, the boat shot under a long bridge that lay across the gutter, where it was as dark as in his box.

" Where am I going to ? " thought he. " This must surely be the gnome's fault ! Oh ! if the little lady was but here at my side in the boat, it might then be as dark as it pleased, and I should not care."