本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛在一个古老的小城里，生活着一位名叫奥菲丽娅的老小姐。很久以前，当她刚刚出生的时候，她的父母便说：我们的孩子将来会成为著名的大演员。因此，他们给她取了这个名字——这是莎士比亚戏剧《哈姆雷特》中那个著名女主角的名字。

　　除了对诗人伟大语言艺术的赞赏，奥菲丽娅小姐的父母什么也没有给她留下。她没能成为一位著名的演员。而且，她的声音太小了。但是，不管怎样，她还是希望自己能献身艺术——哪怕是以一种最卑微的方式。

　　在这个古老的小城里，有一座非常漂亮的剧院。在最前面靠近舞台背对观众的地方，有个隐蔽的箱型小房子。奥菲丽娅每天晚上都坐在里面，当台上的演员忘了台词时，她便小声提示他们。奥菲丽娅的声音很小，干这个工作再合适不过了。因为她的提示是不能让观众听见的。

　　她漫长的一生都献给了这一职业，并为此感到很幸福。渐渐地，她能背诵世界上所有伟大的悲剧和喜剧，提台词时再也用不着看书了。

　　就这样，奥菲丽娅小姐渐渐老了，时代也在发生着变化。来剧院看戏的人越来越少，因为除了戏剧，现在还有电影、电视和别的娱乐活动。大部分人有了汽车，如果什么时候想看戏，他们更愿意开车去邻近的大城市，因为在那里，能看到许多著名的演员，也能借机炫耀一下自己。

　　于是，小城的剧院不得不关闭了。演员们纷纷离开，老小姐奥菲丽娅也失业了。

　　当最后一场演出的幕布落下来时，奥菲丽娅一个人独自在剧场呆了一会儿。她坐在自己工作的箱型房子里，回想着自己的一生。突然，她看见一个影子在幕布上飘来飘去，有时大，有时小。可是，剧场里一个人也没有，所以，这不可能是谁投下的身影。

　　“喂！”奥菲丽娅小姐用她那细小的声音喊道，“那是 谁呀？”

　　影子显然大吃一惊，立即缩成一团——反正影子也没有什么固定的形状。但是，他又马上停了下来，而且越变越大。

　　“对不起！”他说，“我不知道，这里还有人。我没想吓唬您。我只是想在这里藏身，因为我不知道，自己该呆在哪儿？请您别赶我走！ ”

　　“你是个影子吗？”奥菲丽娅急切地问。

　　影子点了点头。

　　“可是，每个影子都该有自己的主人呀？”她接着问。

　　“不，”影子说，“并不是所有的影子都有自己的主人。世上有一些影子是多余的，他们不属于任何人，谁也不要他们。我就是这样的一个影子，我叫影子流浪汉。”

　　“是这样。”奥菲丽娅小姐说，“谁也不要你，难道你不难过吗？”

　　“是的。”影子肯定道，他轻轻叹了一口气，“可那又能怎么办呢？”

　　“你愿意去我那儿吗？”老小姐问。“我也不属于任何人，谁也不要我。”

　　“非常愿意，”影子回答说，“太好了！但是，我必须长在您身上，而您却已经有自己的影子了。”

　　“你们会处得不错的。”奥菲丽娅小姐说。

　　她自己的影子也点头同意了。

　　从此，奥菲丽娅便有了两个影子。只有少数人发现了这点。他们感到奇怪，觉得有些特别。奥菲丽娅小姐不想招人议论。所以，白天的时候，她就请其中的一个影子变小，钻进自自己的手提包里。反正影子在哪儿都能找到地方。

　　一天，奥菲丽娅坐在教堂，与亲爱的上帝交谈。尽管自己的声音很小，但是，她仍希望上帝能听见自己说的话（因为她真的不能肯定，上帝是否听得见她那细小的声音）。就在这时，她突然在教堂的白墙上发现了一个影子，样子非常消瘦，看上去不像什么确定的东西，他伸出一只手，好像在恳求什么。

　　“你也是一个谁也不要的影子吗？”奥菲丽娅小姐问。

　　“是的，”影子说，“但是，我们那里都传开了，听说，有人愿意收留我们这些没人要的影子。这人是你吗 ”

　　“我已经有两个影子了。”奥菲丽娅小姐回答说。

　　“那再多一个也没什么关系呀，”影子恳求说，“你不能把我也收下吗？没人要真是太难过、太孤独了。”

　　“那你叫什么？”老小姐问。

　　“我叫怕黑。”影子小声说。

　　“好吧，你跟我走吧。”奥菲丽娅小姐说。

　　这样，她就有了三个影子了。

　　从此，几乎每天都有没人要的影子来找她，因为，世界上这样的影子有很多很多。

　　第四个影子叫孤独。

　　第五个影子呐长夜。

　　第六个影子叫永不。

　　第七个影子叫空虚。

　　而且，这种现象一直持续下去。奥菲丽娅小姐很穷，但是，幸亏这些影子既不要吃的，也不穿衣服保暖。

　　只是她的小房间有时候很暗，挤满了许许多多的影子。他们都呆在奥菲丽娅小姐这里，因为没有别人收留他们。奥菲丽娅小姐也不忍心把他们送走。就这样，她这里的影子越来越多。

　　更糟糕的是，这些影子有时会吵架。他们常常争位子。有时候，还会出现真正的影子大战。在这样的夜晚，

　　奥菲丽娅小姐常常无法人睡。她只好睁着眼睛，躺在妹上，用她那细小的声音劝说他们。但是，这没有太大的用处。

　　奥菲丽娅小姐不喜欢听别人吵架，但是如果这种争吵是用诗人那伟大的语言在舞台上说出来，则是另外一回事儿。

　　有一天，她终于想出了一个绝妙的主意。

　　“大家听着，”她对影子们说，“ 如果你们还想继续呆在我这里，就必须学点儿东西。”

　　影子停止了争吵，从房间的各个角落用充满期待的眼光看着她。

　　于是，她开始给影子们念诗人的杰作，所有这些内容她都能倒背如流。她慢慢重复着有些段落，然后，要求影子们跟着她念。影子们虽然费了很大的劲，但是他们也非常好学。

　　渐渐地，他们从老小姐奥菲丽娅那里学会了世界上所有伟大的悲剧和喜剧 。

　　当然，现在的情形与以前完全不同。因为影子能够扮演剧中的一切。他们可以根据剧情的需要，扮演侏儒或巨人、人或鸟、一棵树或一张桌子。

　　他们经常通宵达旦地在奥菲丽娅小姐可前演出最精彩的剧目。而她仍然在一旁给他们提示台词。

　　白天，除了她自已的那个影子，别的影子都呆在奥菲丽娅的手提包里。是的，影子有时可以小得不可思议。

　　别人从来没有见到过奥菲丽娅的这些影子，但是，他们还是隐隐约约觉得发生了某种不寻常的事情。而不寻常的事情人们往往不太喜欢。

　　“这位老小姐有些古怪，”人们在背后议论说，“最好把她送到有人照料的老人院去。”

　　还有人说：“也许她已经疯了。谁知道，她哪天会干出什么事情来。”

　　所有人都离她远远的。

　　终于，有一天奥菲丽娅小姐的房东来了，他说：“对不起，从现在开始，您必须比以前多付一倍的房租。”

　　奥菲丽娅小姐付不起。

　　“那么，”房东说，“只好对不起了，您最好还是搬出去吧！”

　　于是，奥菲丽娅小姐只好收拾起所有的东西，把它们装进一口箱子，反正她的东西也不多。她离开了原来住的屋子。买了一张车票，坐上火车，上路了，她自己并不知道该去哪里。

　　坐了很远以后，她下了车，开始步行。她一手提着行李箱子，一手提着装满影子的手提包。

　　这是一条很长很长的路。

　　最后，奥菲丽娅来到了海边，她无法再往前走了。于是，她想坐下来歇一会儿，不久，便睡着了。

　　影子们纷纷从手提包里出来，围在她身边。他们在一起讨论到底该怎么办。

　　“本来，”他们说，“正是因为我们，奥菲丽娅小姐才会陷人这种糟糕的处境的。她帮助过我们，现在轮到我们想办法帮帮她了。我们大家都从她那里学到了一些东西，也许，我们可以用这些学到的东西来帮助她。”

　　等奥菲丽娅小姐醒后，他们把计划告诉了她。

　　“啊，”奥菲丽娅小姐说，“你们真是太好了！”

　　后来，她来到了一个小村庄。她从箱子里拿出一块白色的床单，把它挂在一根棍子上。影子们马上开始演出，这些剧目都是奥菲丽娅小姐教给他们的。她坐在幕布的后面，一旦影子们在演出中卡壳，她便在后面给他们提示台词。

　　开始只有一些孩子过来，他们非常惊讶地在一旁观看。到傍晚的时候，又来了几个大人。看完这些精彩有趣的演出，每个人都付了一点儿钱。

　　就这样，奥菲丽娅小姐从一个村庄走到另一个村应，从一个地方演到另一个地方。根据剧情的要求，她的影子们一会儿扮演国王，一会儿扮演丑角；一会儿扮演高贵纯洁的少女，一会儿扮演热情活泼的少年；一会儿是魔术师，一会儿又变成鲜花。

　　人们纷纷过来观看，并忍不住随着剧情一起欢笑和哭泣。不久，奥菲丽娅小姐便出名了。无论走到哪里，人们都在热切地等待着。因为他们以前从来没有看到过这种演出。他们对她的演出报以热烈的掌声，而且每个观众都会或多或少付点钱给她。

　　过了一段时间，奥菲丽娅小姐攒够了一些钱，买了一辆旧的小汽车。她让一位艺术家给她写了一块漂亮的彩色牌子，两面都用大写字母写着：

　　奥菲丽娅的影子剧院

　　从此奥菲丽娅小姐便开始周游世界，她的影子们一直跟着。

　　说到这里，这个故事本该结束了，但是它还没有完。

　　有一天，由于风雪太大，奥菲丽娅小姐的汽车被陷在路上。突然，有一个巨大的影子站在她面前，这个影子比其他所有的影子都黑。

　　“你也是一个没有人要的影子吗？”她问。

　　“是的，”那个大黑影子慢慢地说，“我想可以这么说吧！”

　　“你也想上我这儿来吗？”奥菲丽娅小姐问。

　　“你能收留我吗？”影子问道，并走得更近。

　　“我的影子虽然已经非常多了，可是，你总得有地方呆吧！”老小姐说。

　　“你不想先问问我的名字吗？”影子问。

　　“那你到底叫什么？”

　　“别人叫我死神。”

　　听到这，奥菲丽娅小姐好一会儿没有说话。

　　“尽管这样，你还是会收留我，对吗？”最后，影子温和地问道。

　　“是的，”奥菲丽娅小姐说，“你来吧！”

　　于是，这个巨大冰冷的黑影便将她团团包住，她周围的世界变得漆黑一片。但是，突然，她又仿佛重新睁开了双眼，这双眼睛变得年青而又明亮，不再像以前那样老眼昏花。在她不用再戴眼镜，便能看清自己是在什么地方：

　　她正站在天堂的大门前，周围站着许多美丽无比的身影，他们身穿漂亮的服装，正微笑地看着她。

　　“你们到底是谁呀？”奥菲丽娅小姐问。

　　“你不认识我们了吗？”他们说，“我们就是你收留的那些多余的影子呀。现在我们得救了，不用再四处漂泊了。”

　　天堂时大门打开了，那些明亮的身影簇拥着老小姐奥菲丽娅一道走了进去。

　　他们把她带到一座奇妙的宫殿前，这是一个最漂亮、最豪华的剧院。

　　剧院的门口写蓍一行烫金的字：

　　奥菲丽娅的影子剧院

　　从此，他们便在这里用诗人的伟大语言，给天使们讲述人类的命运。天使们能够理解这些故事，并从中了解到，生活在地上的人是多么痛苦、多么伟大、多么悲伤、同时又那么可笑。

　　奥菲丽娅小姐仍然在给演员们提示台词。另外，听说有时亲爱的上芾也会来看他们的演出。但是可以肯定的是，谁也没有发现过他。更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛一位姑妈留给我一只安哥拉猫。在我听见过的动物中，这只猫算是最蠢的了。一个冬天的
晚上，我的猫偎在暖暖的炉灰旁，给我讲了这样一个故事。

　　一

　　我那时候两岁，真是一只人们从来没有见过的最肥胖最不懂事的猫。这样小小的年纪
，我就已经表现出动物的自命不凡，瞧不起家里舒适温暖的生活。然而，我还是要感谢老
天爷把我安顿在你姑妈家里。这个善良的女人非常宠爱我，我在橱子里有一个像样的卧室
，铺着羽绒褥垫和三层
毯子。吃的水平与住的不相上下，什么面包啦，汤啦，从来不沾边，要吃就是吃肉，带血
的鲜肉。
　　可是，在这样温馨的环境中，我却只有一个愿望，一个梦想：从半开的窗子溜出去，
跳到屋顶上。主人的抚爱使我乏味，柔软的床铺使我腻烦，我胖得连自已都感到恶心。我
从早到晚整天享福，实在太无聊啦。
　　你可知道，我曾经伸长脖子，从窗口眺望过对面的屋顶。那

　　二

　　一天，有四只猫在那儿打架，他们倒竖须毛，高翘尾巴，在阳光照耀的蓝色石瓦上滚
来滚去，还欢快地叫骂着。我从来没有见过这样新奇的场面。从那以后，我明确了自己的
信念：真正的幸福就在这扇被审慎地关着的窗子外面的屋顶上。人们之所以把橱门关得牢
牢的，橱里不就藏着肉
吗，这就是我给自己提出的证据。
　　我确定了逃跑计划。生活中，除了吃带血的肉，总该还有些别的东西，那是一种你还
不认识的、令人向往的东西。有一天，主人忘记推上厨房的窗子，我便跳到了窗下的一个
小屋顶上。
　　屋顶上多么美好！周围是一圈宽宽的檐糟，散发着诱人的芳香。我欢畅地沿着檐槽走
去，脚爪陷在细软的泥里。暖暖的，说不出有多么舒服，就像是走在天鹅绒上。太阳光又
是热乎乎的，把我身上的脂肪都快晒得融化了。
　　不瞒你说，我的四条腿直打哆嗦，我的快乐中也夹带着恐惧。我记得特别清楚的是，
一阵强烈的惊吓差点儿使我栽到街上去。三只猫从一幢房子的屋脊上直冲到我跟前，凶狠
地嚎叫着，看到我快吓晕了，都把我当成大傻瓜。他们告诉我，这样叫是闹着玩的。我于
是也跟着他们一起乱叫
，这确实很好玩。这些家伙不像我这样傻胖，看见我在烈日暴晒的锌板上像球似的滑滚时
，都嘻嘻哈哈取笑我。他们中间的一只老雄猫对我格外友善，主动指点我，我怀着感激的
心情接受他的教导。

　　三

　　啊！让你姑妈的那些鲜肉离得远远的才好！我喝檐槽里的水，觉得加糖的牛奶还不及
它香甜可口。我感到一切都是那样美好。一只母猫走过，那是一只非常可爱的母猫，我一
看见她，心头就涌起一股从未体验过的激情，直到那时，只有在梦中才见过这种背脊柔软
得令人爱慕的宠物。我
的三个同伴和我，我们急忙前去迎接这位新来者。我抢在他们前头，向那只迷人的母猫献
殷勤。这时，我的一个同伴在我脖子上狠狠咬了一口。我痛得大叫起来。
　　“算了！”那只老雄猫对我说，一边把我拉开，“这种事，你以后还会遇到呢。”
　　溜达一个钟头以后，我感到饥肠辘辘，饿得发慌。
　　“屋顶上有什么吃的吗？”我问老雄猫朋友。
　　“找到什么吃什么呗。”他很有见识地回答我。
　　这个回答使我有点儿茫然，因为我找来找去，什么也没有找到。最后，我看到一间阁
楼里有个年轻女工在做饭，窗下桌子上放着一块鲜美的排骨，红红的，简直让人流口水。

　　”我要找的就在这里。’我十分天真地这样想。
　　我于是跳到桌子上，叼起那块排骨，这时女工发现了我，给我背脊上狠狠一扫帚。我
丢下肉，赶紧逃命，嘴上还咒骂了一通。
　　“你是初出茅庐吧？”老雄猫对我说，“桌上放的肉只能远远地想望，要找吃的，还
得到檐槽里去。”
　　我怎么也没法理解厨房里的肉为什么不许猫吃。我的肚子饿得大厉害了。老雄猫告诉
我，要找吃的必须等到晚上，那时候我们可以下去，到街上翻捡垃圾堆。他的话真使我气
馁。等到晚上！他说这话时平心静气，活像一个冷酷无情的哲学家。可是我呢，一想到这
么长时间吃不上饭，都
感到快要昏过去了。

　　四

　　夜晚慢慢降临了。那是一个大雾弥漫的夜晚，冻得我浑身冰凉。一会儿又下起雨来，
细细的雨丝被狂风击拍着，刺骨透心。我们从扶梯上有玻璃的窗洞下了楼。这街道看上去
是多么丑陋！那里已经没有普照的阳光，没有融融的暖意，也没有明亮的、可以在上面惬
意地打滚的白色屋顶。
我的脚爪在油污的石板上打滑。我伤心地回忆起我的三层毛毯和羽绒床褥。
　　一到街上，我的朋友老雄猫就开始打哆嗦。他缩紧身子，缩得紧紧的，偷偷摸摸贴着
房根溜过去，并叫我紧跟着他，一旦遇上一扇走马车的大门，就连忙躲到里面，还庆幸地
咕噜咕噜哼一阵。我问他为什么要这么躲避。
　　”你看见那个背着背篓拿着挂钩的人吗？”他问我。
　　“看见啦。”
　　”嘿！他要是发现我们，就会把我们打死，把我们的肉穿在铁杆上烤着吃！”
　　“穿在铁杆上烤着吃！”我叫喊起来，“这么说，这街道不是我们的了？我们吃不上
东西，反而要被吃掉！”

　　五

　　这时候，垃圾已经倒在一家家的门前。我心灰意冷地在垃圾堆里搜寻，只找到两三块
沾满灰土的没有肉的骨头。这时我才体

　　会到鲜肉是多么美味。我的朋友老雄猫熟练地扒着垃圾。他不慌不忙，领着我转游每
一条街道，一直奔波到第二天早晨。差不多有十个小时，我一直淋着雨，四肢冻得发抖。
哎，该死的街道！该死的自由！我多么怀念关我的那个小天地！
　　天亮了，老雄猫看见我走路踉踉跄跄，便神色奇异地问我：
　　“你受不了啦？”
　　“哦，是的。’我回答。
　　‘你想回家了？”
　　“当然。可是怎么能找到家呢？”
　　“来吧。昨天早上看见你出来，我就知道像你这样的肥猫生来就不配享受自由带来的
充满艰辛的欢乐。我认识你的家，我领你回去吧。”
　　这只可敬的老雄猫直率地说了这么几句话。
　　“再见！”到家的时候，他只对我这么说了一声，丝毫没有激动的表示。
　　“不，”我叫起来，“我们不能就这样分手，你跟我一起进来吧，我们分享同一张床
，同一块肉，我的主人是个好心肠的女人……”
　　他没有让我继续说下去。
　　“别说了！”他粗暴地打断我的活，“你是一个傻瓜。我要是在你这么个温暖舒适的
环境里，我会死去的。你的优裕富足的生活只适合那些杂种猫，自由的猫决不会以牢房代
价来换取你的鲜肉和羽绒褥垫……再见！”
　　他重新跳到了屋顶上。我看见他那瘦高的身影在初升阳光的抚爱下欢快地抖动着。
　　我回到家里。你的姑妈拿起掸子把我着实教训了一顿，我心悦诚服地领受了。我充分
体味到了享受温暖和挨打的乐趣。主人打我时，我心里乐滋滋地想着：她马上就要给我肉
吃了。
　　“你瞧，”我的猫在炭火前伸了伸懒腰，作出了结论，“我亲爱的主人，真正的幸福
，天堂，就是关在一间屋子里，挨打但有肉吃。”

　　我这是讲给猫听的。更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE BRAVE TIN SOLDIER
by Hans Christian Andersen


THERE were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers, who were all
brothers, for they had been made out of the same old tin spoon. They
shouldered arms and looked straight before them, and wore a splendid
uniform, red and blue. The first thing in the world they ever heard
were the words, "Tin soldiers!" uttered by a little boy, who clapped
his hands with delight when the lid of the box, in which they lay, was
taken off. They were given him for a birthday present, and he stood at
the table to set them up. The soldiers were all exactly alike,
excepting one, who had only one leg; he had been left to the last, and
then there was not enough of the melted tin to finish him, so they
made him to stand firmly on one leg, and this caused him to be very
remarkable.

The table on which the tin soldiers stood, was covered with
other playthings, but the most attractive to the eye was a pretty
little paper castle. Through the small windows the rooms could be
seen. In front of the castle a number of little trees surrounded a
piece of looking-glass, which was intended 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
was a 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 muslin, with
a narrow blue ribbon over her shoulders just like a scarf. In front of
these was fixed a glittering tinsel rose, as large as her whole
face. The little lady was a dancer, and she stretched out both her
arms, and raised one of her legs so high, that the tin soldier could
not see it at all, and he thought that she, like himself, had only one
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 try and
make her acquaintance." Then he laid himself at full length on the
table behind a snuff-box that stood upon it, so that he could peep
at the little delicate lady, who continued to stand on one leg without
losing her balance. When evening came, the other tin soldiers were all
placed in the box, and the people of the house went to bed. Then the
playthings began to have their own games together, to pay visits, to
have sham fights, and to give balls. The tin soldiers rattled in their
box; they wanted to get out and join the amusements, but they could
not open the lid. The nut-crackers played at leap-frog, and the pencil
jumped about the table. There was such a noise that the canary woke up
and began to talk, and in poetry too. Only the tin soldier and the
dancer remained in their places. She stood on tiptoe, with her legs
stretched out, as firmly as he did on his one leg. He never took his
eyes from her for even a moment. The clock struck twelve, and, with
a bounce, up sprang the lid of the snuff-box; but, instead of snuff,
there jumped up a little black goblin; for the snuff-box was a toy
puzzle.
"Tin soldier," said the goblin, "don't wish for what does not
belong to you.
But the tin soldier pretended not to hear.
"Very well; wait till to-morrow, then," said the goblin.
When the children came in the next morning, they placed the tin
soldier in the window. Now, whether it was the goblin who did it, or
the draught, is not known, but the window flew open, and out fell
the tin soldier, heels over head, from the third story, into the
street beneath. It was a terrible fall; for he came head downwards,
this helmet and his bayonet stuck in between the flagstones, and his
one leg up in the air. The servant maid and the little boy went down
stairs directly to look for him; but he was nowhere to be seen,
although once they nearly trod upon him. If he had called out, "Here I
am," it would have been all right, but he was too proud to cry out for
help while he wore a uniform.
Presently it began to rain, and the drops fell faster and
faster, till there was a heavy shower. When it was over, two boys
happened to pass by, and one of them said, "Look, there is a tin
soldier. He ought to have a boat to sail in."
So they made a boat out of a newspaper, and placed the tin soldier
in it, and sent him sailing down the gutter, while the two boys ran by
the side of it, and clapped their hands. Good gracious, what large
waves arose in that gutter! and how fast the stream rolled on! for the
rain had been very heavy. The paper boat rocked up and down, and
turned itself round sometimes so quickly that the tin soldier
trembled; yet he remained firm; his countenance did not change; he
looked straight before him, and shouldered his musket. Suddenly the
boat shot under a bridge which formed a part of a drain, and then it
was as dark as the tin soldier's box.
"Where am I going now?" thought he. "This is the black goblin's
fault, I am sure. Ah, well, if the little lady were only here with
me in the boat, I should not care for any darkness."
Suddenly there appeared a great water-rat, who lived in the drain.
"Have you a passport?" asked the rat, "give it to me at once." But
the tin soldier remained silent and held his musket tighter than ever.
The boat sailed on and the rat followed it. How he did gnash his teeth
and cry out to the bits of wood and straw, "Stop him, stop him; he has
not paid toll, and has not shown his pass." But the stream rushed on
stronger and stronger. The tin soldier could already see daylight
shining where the arch ended. Then he heard a roaring sound quite
terrible enough to frighten the bravest man. At the end of the
tunnel the drain fell into a large canal over a steep place, which
made it as dangerous for him as a waterfall would be to us. He was too
close to it to stop, so the boat rushed on, and the poor tin soldier
could only hold himself as stiffly as possible, without moving an
eyelid, to show that he was not afraid. The boat whirled round three
or four times, and then filled with water to the very edge; nothing
could save it from sinking. He now stood up to his neck in water,
while deeper and deeper sank the boat, and the paper became soft and
loose with the wet, till at last the water closed over the soldier's
head. He thought of the elegant little dancer whom he should never see
again, and the words of the song sounded in his ears-

"Farewell, warrior! ever brave,
Drifting onward to thy grave."

Then the paper boat fell to pieces, and the soldier sank into
the water and immediately afterwards was swallowed up by a great fish.
Oh how dark it was inside the fish! A great deal darker than in the
tunnel, and narrower too, but the tin soldier continued firm, and
lay at full length shouldering his musket. The fish swam to and fro,
making the most wonderful movements, but at last he became quite
still. After a while, a flash of lightning seemed to pass through him,
and then the daylight approached, and a voice cried out, "I declare
here is the tin soldier." The fish had been caught, taken to the
market and sold to the cook, who took him into the kitchen and cut him
open with a large knife. She picked up the soldier and held him by the
waist between her finger and thumb, and carried him into the room.
They were all anxious to see this wonderful soldier who had
travelled about inside a fish; but he was not at all proud. They
placed him on the table, and- how many curious things do happen in the
world!- there he was in the very same room from the window of which he
had fallen, there were the same children, the same playthings,
standing on the table, and the pretty castle with the elegant little
dancer at the door; she still balanced herself on one leg, and held up
the other, so she was as firm as himself. It touched the tin soldier
so much to see her that he almost wept tin tears, but he kept them
back. He only looked at her and they both remained silent. Presently
one of the little boys took up the tin soldier, and threw him into the
stove. He had no reason for doing so, therefore it must have been
the fault of the black goblin who lived in the snuff-box. The flames
lighted up the tin soldier, as he stood, the heat was very terrible,
but whether it proceeded from the real fire or from the fire of love
he could not tell. Then he could see that the bright colors were faded
from his uniform, but whether they had been washed off during his
journey or from the effects of his sorrow, no one could say. He looked
at the little lady, and she looked at him. He felt himself melting
away, but he still remained firm with his gun on his shoulder.
Suddenly the door of the room flew open and the draught of air
caught up the little dancer, she fluttered like a sylph right into the
stove by the side of the tin soldier, and was instantly in flames
and was gone. The tin soldier melted down into a lump, and the next
morning, when the maid servant took the ashes out of the stove, she
found him in the shape of a little tin heart. But of the little dancer
nothing remained but the tinsel rose, which was burnt black as a
cinder.
THE END

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