小学英语安徒生童话系列八theBraveTinSoldier阅读素材2

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