The Little Tin Soldier

LITTLE TI The Little Tin Soldier, sh looked straight ahead, a ‘Will I ever see my beau

IN SOLDIER They sent the newspaper boat sailing down the gutter, then raced alongside laughing and splashing in the puddles. houldered his musket, and he wondered, utiful Dancer again?’

LITTLE TIN The Little Tin Soldier tre He held on

N SOLDIER Large waves rocked the boat up and down. It became soggy. At times it swirled a full circle, quickly, in the water. embled. n to his musket tightly.

LITTLE TIN ‘I bet Jack is behind th his evil words put

N SOLDIER Suddenly the boat dipped down and rushed into a drain. ‘What on earth is happening?’ thought the Soldier, his, t a magic spell on me!’

LITTLE TI In it A th In h w th But that was si for cars

IN SOLDIER nside the drain t was very dark. As dark as the box he soldier lived in. n the distance he saw what looked like, he headlights of a car. illy, hadn’t been invented.

LITTLE TIN As the newspaper b the soldier realised the two lamps, were The eyes of a huge, with a chewed off ea

N SOLDIER boat floated closer, that e in fact, eyes. , ugly, fat, water-rat ar, “Passport!” it cried. It was the border patrol!

LITTL The Ra remind sharp, that sh Unlike the rat’ but the as mea The Tin Soldier remaine and held

LE TIN SOLDIER at’s eyes ded him of Jack’s beady eyes, hone and flashed. Jack’s ’s eyes didn’t flash, ey just were an and unfriendly. ed silent d tightly to his musket.

LITTLE TI T re to fo B L w H th a

IN SOLDIER The Water Rat’s hand eached out o make a grab or his passport. But the Little Tin Soldier was too quick. He crashed his boat hrough the straw barrier, and sped away.

LITTLE TIN Hollering and gnashing the Rat gave chase. He screamed to the w

N SOLDIER g his teeth wood and the straw, “Stop ‘im, stop ‘im. ‘E asn’t paid me his toll. ‘E ‘ain’t got no pass.”

LITTLE TI But the roaring water The Little Tin Soldier could already se

IN SOLDIER r surged on. ee daylight ahead. ‘Freedom, freedom,’ he thought, ‘I might still get home to see her smile once more.

LITTLE TI As the little boat rushed tow the Soldier heard a noise. It wa The shot Way, was ‘Not again,’ thought the sol frightened, he refused to cl

IN SOLDIER wards the daylight, as a waterfall. little boat out into the air. y, way, way below a canal. ldier. Although he was lose his eyes.

LITTLE TIN The boat spun and swirled onto the surface of the wa shattered into a thousand (Do you think the soldier actually counted the piece The soldier was thrown into the thunderous water, with millions of bubbles rising up all around him. (He definitely didn’t count

N SOLDIER d and crashed ater and d pieces. es?) r, the bubbles!)

LITTLE TIN There was everyth He tho beautif He sig ‘will Ja An old poppe ‘Fare drift

N SOLDIER s a sudden silver flash, hing went dark. ought of the ful Dancer’s smile. ghed, ack’s curse never end!’ d tune ed into his head, ewell, warrior! Ever brave, ting onward to thy grave.’

LITTLE TIN It was then the sol he had been swall He sho The thra the for d The

N SOLDIER ldier understood, lowed by a fish. lay full length, ouldering his musket. e fish began to ash about; soldier held on dear life. en suddenly it lay still.

LITTLE TIN As the soldier lay there, a flash of lightning struck the fish’; daylight flooded in. Th he he

N SOLDIER hen, e heard a voice e recognised.

LITTLE TI

IN SOLDIER “Why, it’s the little one legged Soldier that fell out the window. Goodness gracious!” The voice belonged to the little boy’s mother.

LITTLE TIN The fish that had swallowed had been hooked from the taken to the market and sold to the mother. When the mother sliced it open, she found the Little Tin Soldier.

N SOLDIER d him, canal,

LITTLE TI

IN SOLDIER She carefully dried and showered the Soldier, then put him in the castle, next to the beautiful Dancer. “Don’t they make a lovely couple, both standing there on one leg?”

LITTLE TIN The the Her Wh mid he w take ask and perh

N SOLDIER e soldier felt presence of the Dancer. r smile melted his heart. en the clock chimed dnight, would boldly e her hand, k her to marry him d… haps, even kiss her.

LITTLE T But Jack’s words st Sud little cam “Th he Sh Lit an int

TIN SOLDIER till shadowed his heart. ddenly the e boy’s sister me into the room, hat soldier is ugly, e’s deformed.” he grabbed the ttle Tin Soldier, nd threw him to the fire.

LITTLE TIN Th sm hi H be m th he Al he

N SOLDIER he fire burned, moke poured from is uniform. He was suffocating, ecause of the flames, maybe because of he fire of his love, e was totally unsure. ll he knew was, e was melting away.

LITTLE TI H at Sh ba Bu th Th w fro

IN SOLDIER He stared up t the beautiful Dancer. he smiled ack at him. ut there was a tear hat fell from her eye. he tear finally washed Jack’s words om the soldier’s heart.

LITTLE TI

IN SOLDIER As he was watching the curtain moved. A breeze swooped in, caught the paper dancer in its arms, and rushed her into the flames beside her love.

LITTLE TIN

N SOLDIER Happy at last, wrapped in each others arms, the paper Doll and the Little Tin Soldier, danced close in the flames.

LITTLE TI The next morning, when came in to clean up the a She discovered, lying in the fireplace, snuggled together, the soldier’s heart; and beside it, the paper Dancer’s little red tinsel rose.

IN SOLDIER the mother ashes.

LITTLE TIN … togethe THE E

N SOLDIER er forever. END