Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Foreign language (English) > Classical stories of the world

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The Tin Soldier
(Andersen's Fairy Tales)

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Japanese　←→　Japanese ＆ English　←→　English

　A little boy was given tin soldiers for his birthday.

　There were 25 of them, all of which had been made out of one tin spoon. However, one of them was missing one leg.

　That’s because this soldier had been made last and there was not enough tin to finish his leg.

　Nevertheless, this solder stood firmly on one leg.

　The little boy was also given a paper castle.

　At the entrance of the castle was a girl dancing with one of her legs raised up high.

“Oh, that dancer has only one leg just like me. She is perfect to be my wife.”

　Having fallen in love with the dancer at first sight, the one-legged soldier spent all night staring at the dancer from the toy chest that he was in.

　In the next morning, however, the one-legged soldier was placed right by the window. And when the wind blew the window open, he fell from the 4th floor onto the street.

　A naughty boy who happened to pass by found the soldier. He put it on a boat he made with a newspaper and threw it in the ditch.

“Where am I going? I wish I could return to where the dancer is soon.”

　Fast moving waves eventually ripped the boat, and the tin soldier started sinking into the water.

　A careless fish thought the tin soldier was his food and swallowed it.

　Soon the fish was caught by a fisherman and sold to a housemaid. When the maid cut the fish’s stomach, she was surprised.

“Oh, this soldier must be …”

　Surprisingly, the fish was sold to the house of the boy who owns the soldier.

　The paper castle was on the table, and the dancer was raising her leg up high as she was before.

“Oh, I’m finally back. Hello, dancer.”

　When the one-legged soldier was looking at the dancer, the boy grabbed the solder.

“I don’t want this one-legged soldier any more!”

　Then he threw the solder into the red-hot stove.

　The soldier felt himself melting but couldn’t do anything.

“Good-bye, dancer. Take care of yourself…”

　Just then, one of the windows opened suddenly and the wind came in. The paper dancer soared in the air and flew to the soldier in the stove.

“Oh, you came to be with me? Thank you, my bride.”

　Soon the paper dancer burned out. The tin soldier completely melted into a small heart shaped tin.

The end

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