Стійкий олов’яний солдатик
Thelittleladyheldoutbothherarms,asaballetdancerdoes, andonelegwasliftedsohighbehindherthatthetinsoldiercouldn’tseeitatall, andhesupposedshemusthaveonlyoneleg,ashedid.
"Thatwouldbeawifeforme,"hethought. "Butmaybeshe’stoogrand.Shelivesinacastle. Ihaveonlyabox,withfour-and-twentyroommatestoshareit. That’snoplaceforher. ButImusttrytomakeheracquaintance." Stillasstiffaswhenhestoodatattention,helaydownonthetablebehindasnuffbox, wherehecouldadmirethedaintylittledancer whokeptstandingononelegwithouteverlosingherbalance.
Whentheeveningcametheothertinsoldierswereputawayintheirbox, andthepeopleofthehousewenttobed. Nowthetoysbegantoplayamongthemselvesatvisits,andbattles,andatgivingballs. Thetinsoldiersrattledaboutintheirbox,fortheywantedtoplaytoo,buttheycouldnotgetthelidopen. Thenutcrackerturnedsomersaults,andtheslatepencilsqueakedoutjokesontheslate. Thetoysmadesuchanoisethattheywokeupthecanarybird,whomadethemaspeech,allinverse. Theonlytwowhostayedstillwerethetinsoldierandthelittledancer. Withouteverswervingfromthetipofonetoe, sheheldoutherarmstohim,andthetinsoldierwasjustassteadfastonhisoneleg. Notoncedidhetakehiseyesoffher.
Thentheclockstrucktwelveand-clack! -uppoppedthelidofthesnuffbox. Buttherewasnosnuffinit,no-outbouncedalittleblackbogey,ajack-in-the-box.
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