The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

5 seconds

The tin soldier was in love with a paper ballerina. An evil troll was making plans for her. For the sake of love, the tin soldier underwent many hardships. But the boy threw him into the furnace, where the ballerina also burned.

1 minute

Twenty-five twin soldiers emerged from the tin spoon. Only one of them was not like the others. There wasn’t enough tin for him and the little soldier only had one leg. He immediately fell in love with the cardboard-carved ballerina. She, like him, stood on one leg, raising the other one high in a dance step.

At night the toys began to play, only the soldier and the ballerina stood, unable to move. The snuffbox troll noticed the tin warrior’s crush and began to make intrigues. At his suggestion, the boy placed the one-legged soldier on the window. The frame suddenly swayed and threw the warrior down.

The boys found the toy, made a boat out of newspaper, put the soldier there and let him swim. He experienced many dangers: avoided a rat, fell into a waterfall and was eaten by a fish.

But the fish was caught and brought to the kitchen of the soldier’s home. When the perch began to be gutted, the toy was brought out into the light. The boy was happy at first with the soldier, but then he threw it into the oven. A draught picked up the ballerina and carried it into the flames. And so they burned together.