Some toy soldiers made of brass¹ were standing² on a shelf of a toy shop. One of them had only one leg.

The Toy Soldier

The shop had also a castle made of paper. A beautiful paper ballerina stood in front of the castle gate.

The toy soldier with one-leg loved the ballerina. He wanted to dance with her, but he couldn't ask her because he only had one leg.

One day, a little girl bought the ballerina and took her to her house. The toy soldier was so sad. That night, the wind blew very hard. The toy soldier fell down to the street because of the wind. Some naughty boys found the toy soldier.

"Look at him! This toy soldier has only one leg. Let's throw him into the river." The boys threw him in the river. When the toy soldier was drifting³ down the river, a big fish came over and swallowed him in its mouth.

After a while, the fish was caught by a fisherman's rod⁴. He sold the fish to a woman. She cut the fish while preparing dinner after she came back home. She found the toy soldier inside of the fish. The woman was surprised. "Oh, what is this?" She gave him to her daughter.

The girl took him to her room. At that moment, the toy soldier saw the beautiful paper ballerina. "Toy soldier, How did you come to this house?" They were so happy to meet again. The Ballerina said, "Frankly⁵ speaking, I like you. Stay here with me forever."

The toy soldier was so happy when he heard that. But the naughty girl thought the toy soldier and the ballerina didn't make a good match.

"Oh, I hate the ugly toy soldier!" She threw him in to the fireplace⁶. Flames were all over his body. "Good-bye, Ballerina!"

At that moment, the wind blew and took the paper ballerina to the fireplace, too. The toy soldier and the ballerina were burned together.

The next morning, the woman found a heart-shaped piece of brass in the fireplace. It was the symbol of the toy soldier's and the ballerina's love.