1、the Brave Tin Soldierby Hans Christian Andersen（1838） theRE were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers，who were all brothers， for they had been made outof the same old tin spoon. They shouldered armsand looked straight before them， and wore asplendid uniform， red and blue. The
2、 first thing inthe world they ever heard were the words，“Tinsoldiers！” uttered by a little boy， who clapped hishands with delight when the lid of the box， inwhich they lay， was taken off. They were given him for a birthday present， and he stood atthe table to set them up. T
3、he soldiers were all exactly alike， excepting one， who had only oneleg； he had been left to the last， and then there was not enough of the melted tin to finishhim， so they made him to stand firmly on one leg， and this caused him to be veryremarkable. the table on which the
4、 tin soldiers stood， was covered with other playthings， but themost attractive to the eye was a pretty little paper castle. Through the small windows therooms could be seen. In front of the castle a number of little trees surrounded a piece oflooking-glass， which was intend
5、ed to represent a transparent lake. Swans， made of wax，swam on the lake， and were reflected in it. All this was very pretty， but the prettiest of all wasa tiny little lady， who stood at the open door of the castle； she， also， was made of paper，and she wore a dress of clear
6、muslin， with a narrow blue ribbon over her shoulders just like ascarf. In front of these was fixed a glittering tinsel rose， as large as her whole face. The littlelady was a dancer， and she stretched out both her arms， and raised one of her legs so high，that the tin soldier
7、 could not see it at all， and he thought that she， like himself， had onlyone leg.“That is the wife for me，” he thought；“but she is too grand， and lives in a castle，while I have only a box to live in， five-and-twenty of us altogether， that is no place for her.Still I must tr
8、y and make her acquaintance.” Then he laid himself at full length on the tablebehi
