THE SOLDIER OF LEAD STORY

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THE SOLDIER OF LEAD

STORY

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There were once, twenty-five lead soldiers, all brothers,

since they had been melted in the same old spoon. Rifle

shoulder and the look ahead, that's how they were, with their  splendid red warriors and blue trousers. The first

you heard in your life, when the lid of the box was lifted in

that came, was: "Lead soldiers!" Had been a child

small who shouted this, clapping, as it was his gift

birthday. Immediately he puts them in a row on the table.

Each soldier was the living image of the others, except for

one that showed a small difference. I had only one

leg, because by melting, it had been the last and the lead had not reached to finish it. However, there he was, so firm

on his only leg like the others on both. And this is from this

soldier from whom we are going to tell the story.

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At the table where the child had just aligned them, there were others many toys, but the one that most aroused interest was a splendid paper castle. For their tiny windows they could to see the living rooms inside. In front there were trees that surrounded a small mirror. This mirror was

the times of lake, in which they reflected, swimming, some

white wax swans. The set was very beautiful, but the nicest thing of all was a damsel that was standing at the castle gate. She was also made of paper, dressed in a dress of clear and vaporous muslin, with a narrow blue ribbon knotted over the shoulder, so as to band, in which he wore a bright sequin as large as her face.

The damsel had both arms raised, because they must to know that she was a dancer, and had raised one of her legs that the little soldier could not see where he was, and he believed that, like him, he had only one.

"This is the woman that suits me for wife," he told himself. "But how fine it is; if you even live in a castle! I, on the other hand, only I have a cardboard box in which we already live twenty-five: no is a proper place for her. Anyway no matter what happens I will try to meet her. "

And he lay down long behind a box of tobacco that

was on the table. From there I could look at the elegant

damsel, who was still standing on one leg without

balance.

Late in the evening, the other lead soldiers

they picked up in their box and all the people in the house went to sleep.

At that time, the toys began their games, receiving

visits, fighting and dancing. Lead soldiers, who

also wanted to participate in that uproar, they tried

noisy inside their box, but could not get up

the lid. The nutcrackers gave deadly jumps, and the chalk

I enjoyed writing jokes on the board. So much noise did

toys, that the canary woke up and contributed to the

scandal with trills in verse. The only ones who neither

they blinked even the lead soldier and the dancer.

She stood erect on the tip of her foot, with both

arms to the air; he was not less firm on his only leg,

and without taking her eyes for a moment.

Suddenly the clock struck twelve midnight bells and

"Crac!" The cover of the snuff box opened ... But do they believe you who contained tobacco? No, what was there was a black elf, something like a spring doll.

-Tin Soldier! cried the goblin. Do you want to make me

please do not look at the dancer any more?

But the little soldier has been the Deaf.

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"All right, wait up tomorrow and see," said the black goblin.

The next day, when the children got up, someone put the

lead solder in the window; and whether it was the work of the elf or of the air flow, the window suddenly opens and the Soldadito ran headfirst from the third floor. Was a

terrible fall He stayed with his only leg up, resting

in the hull and with the bayonet nailed between two paving stones of the street.

The maid and the boy hurried to fetch him; but

even when it was too short to be crushed, they could not

find him. If the soldier had shouted, "Here I am!"

they would have seen But he thought it was bad to scream,

because he wore a military uniform.

Then it began to rain, growing stronger, until the

the rain became a torrential downpour. When he escaped,

two boys passed the street.

-Luck! exclaimed one. Here's a tin soldier!

Let's make it navigate.

And building a boat with a newspaper,

little soldier in the center, and there it was by the water of the gutter below, while the two boys ran to their side patting

Oh my God, how the waves swirled in the

gutter and what a strong current there was! Well, after

everything had already fallen a good soak. The paper boat

jumped up and down, and sometimes spun so fast that the

Soldier felt dizzy. But he remained firm and

muscle, looking forward, always with the rifle in

shoulder.

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The barquichuelo was first and mainly through a wide

sewer, as dark as its own carton.

"I wonder where I'm going to stop," he thought.

the goblin is guilty. If only the little dancer were here on the boat with me, I would not mind this

was twice as dark. "

Just then a huge rat appeared.

...