19th century illustration for "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" by the French artist Bartell (1820-1882).
"The Steadfast Tin Soldier" (Danish: "Den standhaftige soldat") is a short children's fantasy story by Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published on October 2, 1838, along with "The Wild Swans" and "The Daisy", as part of the anthology Fairy Tales Told to Children New Collection First Booklet (Danish: Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Ny Samling. Første Hefte).
Plot[]
A young boy receives a set of twenty-five toy soldiers for his birthday. The last soldier was cast from an old tin spoon and, lacking enough metal to make the full soldier, is missing a leg. In the boy's room, the soldier sees a ballerina with a spangle on her sash, striking a pose of standing on one leg. The soldier instantly falls in love with her, and despite his reservations about being worthy of her, decides he must speak with her. That night, a goblin named Jack-in-the-Box warns the soldier to stay away from the ballerina, but the soldier ignores him. The next day, presumably because of the goblin, the soldier falls from the windowsill onto the street. Two boys find the soldier. They make a paper boat and place him inside, sending him down the gutter. The soldier sails down the gutter and into a storm drain, where a rat demands a toll to pass. The soldier ignores him. The paper boat continues into a canal, where the tin soldier is swallowed by a fish. The fish is caught and prepared, and the soldier finds himself in the same house where he fell out of the window. The soldier is placed back on the tabletop where he spies the ballerina. However, for no apparent reason (though alluded to be somehow influenced by the goblin), the boy throws the soldier into the fire. The soldier begins melting. A sudden wind blows the ballerina into the fire with him, where she burns up. Soon, only her spangle remains. The soldier has melted down into the shape of a heart.
External links[]
- Versions of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" in Danish and English on Wikisource.
- Public domain audiobook of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" on YouTube.