小学英语 安徒生童话系列（八）the Brave Tin Soldier阅读素材.docx

thebravetinsoldierbyhanschristianandersen（1838）therewereoncefive-and-twentytinsoldiers，whowereallbrothers，fortheyhadbeenmadeoutofthesameoldtinspoon.theyshoulderedarmsandlookedstraightbeforethem，andworeasplendiduniform，redandblue.thefirstthingintheworldtheyeverheardwerethewords， “tinsoldiers！”utteredbyalittleboy，whoclappedhishandswithdelightwhenthelidofthebox，inwhichtheylay，wastakenoff.theyweregivenhimforabirthdaypresent，andhestoodatthetabletosetthemup.thesoldierswereallexactlyalike，exceptingone，whohadonlyoneleg；hehadbeenlefttothelast，andthentherewasnotenoughofthemeltedtintofinishhim，sotheymadehimtostandfirmlyononeleg，andthiscausedhimtobeveryremarkable.thetableonwhichthetinsoldiersstood，wascoveredwithotherplaythings，butthemostattractivetotheeyewasaprettylittlepapercastle.throughthesmallwindowstheroomscouldbeseen.infrontofthecastleanumberoflittletreessurroundedapieceoflooking-glass，whichwasintendedtorepresentatransparentlake.swans，madeofwax，swamonthelake，andwerereflectedinit.allthiswasverypretty，buttheprettiestofallwasatinylittlelady，whostoodattheopendoorofthecastle；she，also，wasmadeofpaper，andsheworeadressofclearmuslin，withanarrowblueribbonoverhershouldersjustlikeascarf.infrontofthesewasfixedaglitteringtinselrose，aslargeasherwholeface.thelittleladywasadancer，andshestretchedoutbothherarms，andraisedoneofherlegssohigh，thatthetinsoldiercouldnotseeitatall，andhethoughtthatshe，likehimself，hadonlyoneleg. “thatisthewifeforme，”hethought； “butsheistoogrand，andlivesinacastle，whileihaveonlyaboxtolivein，five-and-twentyofusaltogether，thatisnoplaceforher.stillimusttryandmakeheracquaintance.”thenhelaidhimselfatfulllengthonthetablebehindasnuff-boxthatstooduponit，sothathecouldpeepatthelittledelicatelady，whocontinuedtostandononelegwithoutlosingherbalance.wheneveningcame，theothertinsoldierswereallplacedinthebox，andthepeopleofthehousewenttobed.thentheplaythingsbegantohavetheirowngamestogether，topayvisits，tohaveshamfights，andtogiveballs.thetinsoldiersrattledintheirbox；theywantedtogetoutandjointheamusements，buttheycouldnotopenthelid.thenut-crackersplayedatleap-frog，andthepenciljumpedaboutthetable.therewassuchanoisethatthecanarywokeupandbegantotalk，andinpoetrytoo.onlythetinsoldierandthedancerremainedintheirplaces.shestoodontiptoe，withherlegsstretchedout，asfirmlyashedidonhisoneleg.henevertookhiseyesfromherforevenamoment.theclockstrucktwelve，and，withabounce，upsprangthelidofthesnuff-box；but，insteadofsnuff，therejumpedupalittleblackgoblin；forthesnuff-boxwasatoypuzzle.“tinsoldier，”saidthegoblin， “dontwishforwhatdoesnotbelongtoyou.”butthetinsoldierpretendednottohear.“verywell；waittillto-morrow，then，”saidthegoblin.whenthechildrencameinthenextmorning，theyplacedthetinsoldierinthewindow.now，whetheritwasthegoblinwhodidit，orthedraught，isnotknown，butthewindowflewopen，andoutfellthetinsoldier，heelsoverhead，fromthethirdstory，intothestreetbeneath.itwasaterriblefall；forhecameheaddownwards，hishelmetandhisbayonetstuckinbetweentheflagstones，andhisonelegupintheair.theservantmaidandthelittleboywentdownstairsdirectlytolookforhim；buthewasnowheretobeseen，althoughoncetheynearlytroduponhim.ifhehadcalledout， “hereiam，”itwouldhavebeenallright，buthewastooproudtocryoutforhelpwhileheworeauniform.presentlyitbegantorain，andthedropsfellfasterandfaster，tilltherewasaheavyshower.whenitwasover，twoboyshappenedtopassby，andoneofthemsaid， “look，thereisatinsoldier.heoughttohaveaboattosailin.”sotheymadeaboatoutofanewspaper，andplacedthetinsoldierinit，andsenthimsailingdownthegutter，whilethetwoboysranbythesideofit，andclappedtheirhands.goodgracious，whatlargewavesaroseinthatgutter！andhowfastthestreamrolledon！fortherainhadbeenveryheavy.thepaperboatrockedupanddown，andturneditselfroundsometimessoquicklythatthetinsoldiertrembled；yetheremainedfirm；hiscountenancedidnotchange；helookedstraightbeforehim，andshoulderedhismusket.suddenlytheboatshotunderabridgewhichformedapartofadrain，andthenitwasasdarkasthetinsoldiersbox.“whereamigoingnow？”thoughthe. “thisistheblackgoblinsfault，iamsure.ah，well，ifthelittleladywereonlyherewithmeintheboat，ishouldnotcareforanydarkness.”suddenlythereappearedagreatwater-rat，wholivedinthedrain.“haveyouapassport？”askedtherat， “giveittomeatonce.”butthetinsoldierremainedsilentandheldhismuskettighterthanever.theboatsailedonandtheratfollowedit.howhedidgnashhisteethandcryouttothebitsofwoodandstraw， “stophim，stophim；hehasnotpaidtoll，andhasnotshownhispass.”butthestreamrushedonstrongerandstronger.thetinsoldiercouldalreadyseedaylightshiningwherethearchended.thenheheardaroaringsoundquiteterribleenoughtofrightenthebravestman.attheendofthetunnelthedrainfellintoalargecanaloverasteepplace，whichmadeitasdangerousforhimasawaterfallwouldbetous.hewastooclosetoittostop，sotheboatrushedon，andthepoortinsoldiercouldonlyholdhimselfasstifflyaspossible，withoutmovinganeyelid，toshowthathewasnotafraid.theboatwhirledroundthreeorfourtimes，andthenfilledwithwatertotheveryedge；nothingcouldsaveitfromsinking.henowstooduptohisneckinwater，whiledeeperanddeepersanktheboat，andthepaperbecamesoftandloosewiththewet，tillatlastthewaterclosedoverthesoldiershead.hethoughtoftheelegantlittledancerwhomheshouldneverseeagain，andthewordsofthesongsoundedinhisears“farewell，warrior！everbrave，driftingonwardtothygrave.”thenthepaperboatfelltopieces，andthesoldiersankintothewaterandimmediatelyafterwardswasswallowedupbyagreatfish.ohhowdarkitwasinsidethefish！agreatdealdarkerthaninthetunnel，andnarrowertoo，butthetinsoldiercontinuedfirm，andlayatfulllengthshoulderinghismusket.thefishswamtoandfro，makingthemostwonderfulmovements，butatlasthebecamequitestill.afterawhile，aflashoflightningseemedtopassthroughhim，andthenthedaylightapproached，andavoicecriedout， “ideclarehereisthetinsoldier.”thefishhadbeencaught，takentothemarketandsoldtothecook，whotookhimintothekitchenandcuthimopenwithalargeknife.shepickedupthesoldierandheldhimbythewaistbetweenherfingerandthumb，andcarriedhimintotheroom.theywereallanxioustoseethiswonderfulsoldierwhohadtravelledaboutinsideafish；buthewasnotatallproud.theyplacedhimonthetable，andhowmanycuriousthingsdohappenintheworld！therehewasintheverysameroomfromthewindowofwhichhehadfallen，therewerethesamechildren，thesameplaythings，standingonthetable，andtheprettycastlewiththeelegantlittledanceratthedoor；shestillbalancedherselfononeleg，andhelduptheother，soshewasasfirmashimself.ittouchedthetinsoldiersomuchtoseeherthathealmostwepttintears，buthekeptthemback.heonlylookedatherandtheybothremainedsilent.presentlyoneofthelittleboystookupthetinsoldier，andthrewhimintothestove.hehadnoreasonfordoingso，thereforeitmusthavebeenthefaultoftheblackgoblinwholivedinthesnuff-box.theflameslightedupthetinsoldier，ashestood，theh