The Steadfast Tin Soldier

The Nightingale

Book Description

Award-winning author Tor Seidler and the incomparable illustrator Fred Marcellino retell Hans Christian Anderson’s classic Christmas tale about a tin solder who is separated from the paper ballerina he loves in this stunning picture book that’s perfect for gift-giving.

True love blossoms between a handsome one-legged tin soldier and a graceful paper ballerina, posed in arabesque. But when a jealous goblin pushes the soldier out a window, the soldier embarks on a journey through storm drains, past toll-collecting rats, into canals, and inside a fish before finding his way back with his beloved ballerina.

Plotline

有情人终成眷属；

ROLL-A-STORY

  • Title: The Steadfast Tin Soldier
  • Setting: An old tin spoon was cast into twenty-five tin soldiers.
  • Characters: one-legged tin soldier, a little maiden--dancer
  • Problem: One of tin soldiers had only one leg and he was barred from living together with his beloved by the troll.
  • Solution: The one-legged tin soldier was steadfast.
  • Theme: The one-legged tin soldier never gave up and finally got together with his beloved dancer.

As is

There were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers; they were all brothers, for they had been born of an old tin spoon. They shouldered their arms, they faced straight ahead, and their uniforms--red and blue--were ever so lovely. The very first thing they heard in this world, when the lid was taken off the box in which they were lying, were the words: "Tin soldiers!" It was shouted by a little boy, and he clapped his hands. They had been given to him for his birthday, and now he was lining them up on the table. Each soldier looked exactly like the other. Only one was slightly different: he had but one leg, for he was the last one to be cast and there hadn't been enough tin. And yet he stood just as firmly on his one leg as the others did on their two, and he is the very one who turns out to be unique.

  • ever 英 [ˈevə(r)] 美 [ˈevər]adv. 永远；曾经；究竟
  • slightly 英 [ˈslaɪtli] 美 [ˈslaɪtli]adv. 些微地，轻微地；纤细地，瘦小的
  • spoon /spuːn/ n. 匙，勺子；一杓的量 vt. 用匙舀；使成匙状 vi. 轻轻向上击
  • shoulder /ˈʃəʊldə(r)/ n. 肩，肩膀；肩部 vt. 肩负，承担 vi. 用肩推挤，用肩顶
  • arm /ɑːrm/ n. 手臂；武器；袖子；装备；部门 vi. 武装起来 vt. 武装；备战
  • straight /streɪt/ adj. 直的；连续的；笔直的；正直的；整齐的；adv. 直接地；不断地；立即；坦率地 n. 直；直线；
  • straight ahead 永往直前,一直往前
  • uniform /ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/ adj. 统一的；一致的；相同的；均衡的；始终如一的 n. 制服 vt. 使穿制服；使成一样
  • lid n. 盖子；眼睑；限制 vt. 给…盖盖子
  • take off 起飞；脱下；离开
  • clap vi. 鼓掌，拍手；啪地关上 vt. 拍手，鼓掌；轻轻拍打某人 n. 鼓掌；拍手声
  • line up 排列起；整队
  • cast vt. 投，抛；计算；浇铸；投射（光、影、视线等）; 过去式 cast过去分词 cast现在分词 casting第三人称单数 casts
  • as ... as 像……一样，同……一样
  • firmly /ˈfɜːrmli/ adv. 坚定地，坚决地；坚固地，稳固地
  • turn out to be 结果是；原来是
  • unique /juˈniːk/ adj. 独特的，稀罕的；[数] 唯一的，独一无二的 n. 独一无二的人或物

从前有二十五个锡兵，他们都是兄弟，因为他们是由同一把旧的锡汤匙铸出来的。他们肩上扛着枪，眼睛笔直看着前面，穿着漂亮的军服，一半是红的，一半是蓝的。他们在这个世界上听到的第一句话是“锡兵”，这是他们躺在一个盒子里，一个小男孩打开盒盖后高兴得拍着双手说出来的。他们被送给他作为生日礼物，他站在桌子旁边把他们一个一个站起来。这些兵全都一模一样，只除了一个，他只有一条腿；他是最后一个被铸成的，融化的锡不够用了，于是让他用一条腿稳稳站住，这就使他非常突出。

On the table where they had been lined up there were many other playthings, but the one that stood out most was a lovely paper castle. Through the tiny windows you could look right into the halls. Outside were tiny trees standing around a little mirror that was supposed to look like a lake. Wax swans were swimming on it and being reflected there. It was all lovely, and yet the loveliest of all was a little maiden who was standing in the open door of the castle. She too had been cut out of paper, but she was wearing a skirt of the sheerest lawn and a narrow ribbon over her shoulder just like a drapery; in the very center of it was a shining spangle as big as her whole face. The little maiden was stretching out both her arms, for she was a dancer, and then she had raised one leg so high in the air that the tin soldier couldn't find it at all, and he thought she had but one leg, just like himself.

  • lined up 整顿；对准
  • wax n. 蜡；蜡状物;vt. 给…上蜡;vi. 月亮渐满；增大;adj. 蜡制的；似蜡的
  • reflected 英 [rɪˈflekt] 美 [rɪˈflekt];vt. 反映；反射，照出；表达；显示;反省;vi. 反射，映现；深思
  • maiden 英 [ˈmeɪdn] 美 [ˈmeɪdn]n. 少女，处女；未婚女子；（板球比赛中）未得分的一轮投球；从未跑赢过的赛马adj. （尤指年纪较大女性）未婚的；处女的；（航行、飞行)）首次的；（赛马）从未跑赢过的；（植物）生长期第一年内的n.
  • sheerest adj. 绝对的；透明的；峻峭的 (sheer的变形)
  • lawn 英 [lɔːn] 美 [lɔːn] n. 草地；草坪
  • narrow 英 [ˈnærəʊ] 美 [ˈnæroʊ] adj. 狭窄的，有限的；勉强的；精密的；度量小的 n. 海峡；狭窄部分，隘路;vt. 使变狭窄;vi. 变窄
  • ribbon 英 [ˈrɪbən] 美 [ˈrɪbən] n. 带；缎带；（勋章等的）绶带；带状物；勋表 vi. 形成带状 vt. 把…撕成条带；用缎带装饰
  • drapery 英 [ˈdreɪpəri] 美 [ˈdreɪpəri]n. 布料；帏帐；打褶的帐幔
  • spangle 英 [ˈspæŋɡl] 美 [ˈspæŋɡl] v. 用闪光饰物装饰；使闪烁发光 n. 闪光金属片，亮晶晶的小饰片；亮点
  • stretch 英 [stretʃ] 美 [stretʃ] v. （柔软或弹性物）伸展；拉紧；（使）过分延长；（资金、资源）足够；大量要求；（使）最大限度利用（才能）；夸大；延续 n. （四肢或身体的）舒展；（肌肉的）伸张；

锡兵们站着的桌子上还摆满了别的玩具，但最引人注目的是一座纸做的美丽小宫殿。透过小窗子可以看到里面的那些房间。宫殿前面有一些小树围着一面镜子，它就代表一个清澈的湖。几只蜡做的天鹅在湖上游着，它们的影子倒映在湖水里。这一切非常好看，但是最好看的是一位小姐，她站在宫殿开着的门口；她也是纸做的，穿一身淡雅的布裙，肩上围着一条蓝色的细缎带，就像披着一条披中。在缎带上插着一朵用锡纸做的闪光的玫瑰花，有她整张脸那么大。这位小姐是个舞女，她张开双臂，一条腿举得那么高，这位锡兵根本看不见它，以为她也和他一样只有一条腿。

"That's the wife for me!" he thought. "But she's very highborn. She lives in a castle and I have only a box, and then it must do for five-and-twenty of us--that's no place for her.Still, I must see about making her acquaintance!" And then he stretched out at full length behind a snuffbox that stood on the table. From here he could look right at the little highborn lady, who continued to stand on one leg without losing her balance.

  • highborn 英 ['haɪbɔːn] 美 ['haibɔ:n] adj. 出身名门的
  • acquaintance 英 [əˈkweɪntəns] 美 [əˈkweɪntəns] n. 熟人；相识；了解；知道
  • length 英 [leŋθ] 美 [leŋθ] n. 长度，长；时间的长短；（语）音长
  • snuffbox 英 [ˈsnʌfbɒks] 美 [ˈsnʌfbɑːks] n. 鼻烟盒
  • balance 英 [ˈbæləns] 美 [ˈbæləns] n. 平衡；余额；匀称 vt. 使平衡；结算；使相称 vi. 保持平衡；相称；抵销

“她正好给我做妻子，”他想，“但是她太高贵了，住在宫殿里，而我只有一个盒子可以往，而且我们二十五个挤在一起，就住不下她了。不过我还是必须试试看和她相识。”于是他在桌上一个鼻烟盒后面平躺下来，好偷看那位漂亮的小姐，她继续用一条腿站着而不失去平衡。

Later in the evening all the other tin soldiers went back in their box, and the people of the house went to bed. Now the toys began to play--at "Visitors," waging war, and holding balls. The tin soldiers rattled in their box because they wanted to join in, but they couldn't get the lid off. The nutcracker turned somersaults, and the slate pencil did monkeyshines on the slate; there was such a racket that the canary bird woke up and joined in the talk--and in verse, at that! The only two who didn't budge an inch were the tin soldier and the little dancer. She held herself erect on the tip of her toe and with both arms outstretched; he was just as steadfast on his one leg and his eyes never left her for a moment.

  • visitors 英 [ˈvɪzɪtə(r)] 美 [ˈvɪzɪtər] n. 访问者，参观者；视察者；候鸟
  • waging 英 [weɪdʒ] 美 [weɪdʒ] n. 工资；报酬；代价；报应 v. 进行，发动（运动、战争等）；开展 wage 的现在进行时+ing
  • rattle 英 [ˈrætl] 美 [ˈrætl] vt. 使发出咯咯声；喋喋不休；使慌乱，使惊慌 vi. 喋喋不休地讲话；发出卡嗒卡嗒声 n. 喋喋不休的人；吓吱声，格格声
  • nutcracker 英 [ˈnʌtkrækə(r)] 美 [ˈnʌtkrækər] n. 胡桃钳；星鸦；瘪嘴
  • somesaults n. 筋斗
  • slate 英 [sleɪt] 美 [sleɪt] n. 板岩；石板；蓝色；石片 vt. 铺石板；严厉批评某人；计划 adj. 板岩的；石板色的
  • monkeyshines 英 ['mʌŋkɪʃaɪn] 美 ['mʌŋkiʃain] n. 胡闹，恶作剧
  • racket 英 [ˈrækɪt] 美 [ˈrækɪt] n. 球拍；吵闹，喧闹
  • canary 英 [kəˈneəri] 美 [kəˈneri] n. 金丝雀；淡黄色，鲜黄色；加纳利甜酒
  • in verse 用诗写的，韵文的
  • budge 英 [bʌdʒ] 美 [bʌdʒ] vi. 挪动；微微移动；改变态度或意见；服从 vt. 使让步；移动；使改变态度或意见 n. 羔羊皮
  • erect 英 [ɪˈrekt] 美 [ɪˈrekt] adj. 竖立的，笔直的；因性刺激而勃起的；（毛发）竖起的 v. （使）竖立；建造；创立；安装；勃起
  • tip 英 [tɪp] 美 [tɪp] n. 尖端；小部件；小费；小建议，小窍门；（比赛的）内部消息；垃圾场，脏乱处 v. （使）倾斜，翻倒；倒出，倾倒；轻触；丢垃圾；给小费；预测成功；覆盖端头

等到天晚了，其他锡兵都放进了盒子，那一家子的人也上床去睡了。这时候玩偶们就开始互相玩他们自己的游戏：串门，打仗，开舞会。锡兵们在盒子里也吵闹起来，他们也想出去跟大家一起玩，但是打不开盒盖。那些核桃钳子玩跳背游戏，铅笔在桌子上蹦蹦跳跳，吵得那么厉害。金丝鸟被吵醒了也开始说话，而且出口成诗。只有那个锡兵和那位舞女在原地一动不动。她竖着脚尖站着，双臂张开，用一条腿站着和那锡兵用一条腿站得同样稳。他的眼睛连一瞬间也没有离开过她。

Now the clock struck twelve, and crash! The lid of the snuffbox flew off, but there wasn't any snuff in there--no, but a little black troll, and that was quite a trick.

  • struck 英 [stʌk] 美 [stʌk] v. 刺（stick 的过去式和过去分词）adj. 卡住的，动不了的；被困住的； 陷入的；停滞不前的；无法摆脱困境的；被难倒的，（因困难）无法继续的
  • flew off 飞出；飞速（或突然）地跑掉 ；fly 的过去式flew
  • snuff vt. 剪烛花；掐灭；消灭；嗅出 n. 鼻烟；烛花；灯花 vi. 扑灭；断气；嗅
  • troll 英 [trɒl; trəʊl] 美 [troʊl] n. （北欧神话中的）穴居巨怪，侏儒；挑衅帖子，发挑衅帖子的人（非正式）；钓鱼；轮唱 v. 拖饵钓鱼；搜查；发布挑衅帖子（非正式）；散步；欢快地高唱；轮唱；随便浏览（报纸或文件）
  • 英 [trɪk] 美 [trɪk] n. 诡计；恶作剧；窍门；花招；骗局；欺诈 vt. 欺骗；哄骗；装饰；打扮 vi. 哄骗；戏弄

时钟敲到十二点，鼻烟盒的盖子砰地打开；但是跳出来的不是鼻烟，而是一个黑色的小妖精；因为这鼻烟盒是个叫人吓一跳的玩具。

"Tin soldier!" said the troll. "Will you keep your eyes to yourself!"

“锡兵，”小妖精说，“不要指望不属于你的东西。”

But the tin soldier pretended not to hear.

但是锡兵假装没有听见他的话。

  • 英 [prɪˈtend] 美 [prɪˈtend] vi. 假装，伪装，佯装 adj. 假装的 vt. 假装，伪装，模拟

"Well, wait until tomorrow!" said the troll. “很好；那就等到明天吧。”小妖精说。

Now, when it was morning and the children got up, the tin soldier was placed over in the window; and whether it was caused by the troll or the draft, the window suddenly flew open and the tin soldier went headlong out from the third floor with a terrible speed. He turned his leg up in the air and landed on his cap, with his bayonet stuck between the paving stones.

  • draft 英 [drɑːft] 美 [dræft] n. 汇票；草稿；选派；（尤指房间、烟囱、炉子等供暖系统中的）（小股）气流 vt. 起草；制定；征募 vi. 拟稿；绘样；作草图
  • headlong 英 [ˈhedlɒŋ] 美 [ˈhedlɔːŋ] adv. 头朝前，头向前地；轻率地；莽撞地，慌慌张张地 adj. 轻率的；匆促而用力的；头向前的
  • bayonet 英 ['beɪənɪt] 美 ['beənət] n. 刺刀；卡销 vt. 用刺刀刺 vi. 用刺刀；劈刺
  • paving 英 [ˈpeɪvɪŋ] 美 [ˈpeɪvɪŋ] n. [建] 铺砌；铺路材料；块石面路 v. 铺设；为…做准备（pave的ing形式）

第二天早晨孩子们起床，把这锡兵放在窗口。好，也不知是小妖精干的，还是风吹的，但是窗子一下子打开，锡兵倒栽葱从三楼落到了下面街上。跌得可厉害了；因为是头朝下跌的，他的军盔和刺刀插在铺石的缝间，那条独腿朝天。

The maid and the little boy went right down to look for him, but despite the fact that they nearly stepped on him, they couldn't see him. If the tin soldier had shouted "Here I am!" they would have found him, all right. But he didn't think it properto shout when he was in uniform.

  • maid 女仆
  • despite 尽管
  • proper 英 [ˈprɒpə(r)] 美 [ˈprɑːpər] adj. 适当的；本身的；特有的；正派的 adv. 完全地

女仆和那小男孩马上下楼来找他；但是哪儿也看不到他，虽然有一次她们险些儿就踩在他身上；如果他叫一声“我在这里”就好了，但是他穿着军服，不好大叫救命。

Now it started to rain; the drops fell thick and fast. It turned into a regular downpour. When it was over, two street urchins came along.

  • downpour 英 [ˈdaʊnpɔː(r)] 美 [ˈdaʊnpɔːr] n. 倾盆大雨；注下
  • urchins n. 海胆（urchin的复数）；顽童

紧接着就下起雨来，雨点越来越密，最后下起了倾盆大雨。雨后恰巧有两个男孩走过！

"Look!" said the first. "There's a tin soldier. He's going out sailing!" “看！”第一个说。“有一个锡兵，要是有条船他便要出海航行了！”

And so they made a boat out of a newspaper and put the tin soldier in the middle of it, and now he sailed down the gutter. Both the boys ran alongside and clapped their hands. Heaven help us! What waves there were in that gutter and what a current! But, then, the rain had poured down. The paper boat bobbed up and down, and now and then it turned around, sending a shudder through the tin soldier. But he was just as steadfast, didn't bat an eyelash, looked straight ahead, and shouldered his gun.

  • gutter 英 [ˈɡʌtə(r)] 美 [ˈɡʌtər] n. 排水沟；槽；贫民区 vi. 流；形成沟 vt. 开沟于…；弄熄 adj. 贫贱的；粗俗的；耸人听闻的
  • alongside 英 [əˌlɒŋˈsaɪd] 美 [əˌlɔːŋˈsaɪd] prep. 在……旁边，沿着……的边；与 ……一起，合作；与……同时，共存；与……相比 adv. 在旁边
  • waves 英 [weɪv] 美 [weɪv] v. 挥手；挥手示意；挥舞；飘扬；使（头发）略呈波形 n. 海浪；心潮；涌现的人（或物）；挥手；波；（头发）卷曲；（感情）爆发
  • current 英 [ˈkʌrənt] 美 [ˈkɜːrənt] adj. 现在的；流通的，通用的；最近的；草写的 n. （水，气，电）流；趋势；涌流
  • pour down 雨）倾盆而下
  • bobbed up and down 上下颠簸；在水面上忽沉忽浮
  • shudder 英 [ˈʃʌdə(r)] 美 [ˈʃʌdər] n. 发抖；战栗；震动 vi. 发抖；战栗
  • bat n. 蝙蝠；球棒；球拍；批处理文件的扩展名 vt. 用球棒击球；击球率达vi. 轮到击球；用球棒击球
  • eyelash 英 [ˈaɪlæʃ] 美 [ˈaɪlæʃ] n. 睫毛

于是他们用一张报纸折成一条船，把锡兵放进去，让他顺着水沟航行，两个男孩在旁边跟着他走，一路拍着手。天哪，水沟里浪头多么大啊！水流得多么急啊！因为刚才那场雨太大了。把船摇来晃去，有时候转得那么快，锡兵也摇晃了；然而他保持坚定；他的脸色不变；笔直望着前面，扛着他的枪。

All at once the boat drifted in under a long gutter plank; it was just as dark as if he were in his box.

  • drifted vt. 漂泊，漂流；吹积（drift的过去分词）vi. 使漂流；使吹积（drift的过去分词）
  • plank 英 [plæŋk] 美 [plæŋk]n. [木] 厚木板；支架；政纲条款 vt. 在…上铺板；撂下；立刻付款

船忽然在一座桥下冲过，这桥是阴沟的一部分，接下来四周黑得像锡兵的盒子里一样。

"I wonder where I'm going now," he thought. "Well, well, it's the fault of the troll. Alas, if only the little maiden were sitting here in the boat, then it could be twice as dark for all I'd care!"

  • fault 英 [fɔːlt] 美 [fɔːlt] n. 故障；[地质] 断层；错误；缺点；毛病；（网球等）发球失误vi. 弄错；产生断层 vt.（通常用于疑问句或否定句）挑剔
  • alas 英 [əˈlæs] 美 [əˈlæs] int. 唉（表悲伤、遗憾、恐惧、关切等等）

我这会儿是在上哪儿去呢？”他想，“我断定这都是那黑妖精捣的鬼。啊，要是那小姐和我一起在船上就好了，黑不黑我就一点也不在乎。”

At the same moment a big water rat came along, who lived under the gutter plank.

忽然出现了一只很大的水老鼠，它住在这儿阴沟里。

"Do you have a passport?" asked the rat. "hand over your passport!"

“你有通行证吗？”老鼠问道，“马上把它给我。”

But the tin soldier remained silent and held the gun even tighter. The boat flew away with the rat right behind it. Whew! How it gnashed its teeth and shouted to sticks and straws:"Stop him! Stop him! He hasn't paid the toll! He hasn't shown his passport!"

  • remain 英 [rɪˈmeɪn] 美 [rɪˈmeɪn]vi. 保持；依然；留下；剩余；逗留；残存n. 遗迹；剩余物，残骸
  • tight 英 [taɪt] 美 [taɪt]adj. 紧的；密封的；绷紧的；麻烦的；严厉的；没空的；吝啬的adv. 紧紧地；彻底地
  • gnash 英 [næʃ] 美 [næʃ]vt. 咬牙切齿vi. 咬牙切齿n. 咬
  • straw 英 [strɔː] 美 [strɔː]n. 稻草；吸管；一文不值的东西 adj. 稻草的；无价值的

但是锡兵保持沉默，把枪握得更紧。船继续飘走，老鼠跟在后面。它是怎样地咬牙切齿啊，它对木屑和干草大叫：“拦住他，拦住他；他还没有付过路钱，还没有出示通行证。”

But the current grew stronger and stronger; the tin soldier could already see daylight ahead where the gutter plank ended, but he could also hear a roaring sound that was enough to frighten a brave man. Just think, where the gutter plank ended, the gutter poured right out into a big canal! It was just as dangerous for him as it would be for us to sail down a great waterfall.

  • current 英 [ˈkʌrənt] 美 [ˈkɜːrənt]adj. 现在的；流通的，通用的；最近的；草写的n. （水，气，电）流；趋势；涌流
  • roaring 英 [ˈrɔːrɪŋ] 美 [ˈrɔːrɪŋ]adj. （疼痛、愤怒时）吼叫的，喧闹的；（自然现象）呼啸的，轰鸣的；（火）熊熊燃烧的；（古）放纵的；兴旺的；（非正式）十足的 adv. 非常，极其n. 咆哮，吼声；（马）吼喘（一种疾病）v. （常指车辆）呼啸疾驰；吼叫；咆哮；哄笑，大笑（roar 的现在分词）
  • pour 英 [pɔː(r)] 美 [pɔːr]v. 灌，倒；倾泻；（雨）倾盆而下；涌进，涌出；斟（饮料）；纷至沓来 n. 灌，注；倾泻；倾盆大雨
  • canal 英 [kəˈnæl] 美 [kəˈnæl] n. 运河；[地理] 水道；[建] 管道；灌溉水渠vt. 在…开凿运河
  • waterfall 英 [ˈwɔːtəfɔːl] 美 [ˈwɔːtərfɔːl] n. 瀑布；瀑布似的东西

但是水流得越来越急。锡兵已经看得见拱道尽头处阳光照耀了。这时候他听见一阵隆隆声，可怕得足以使最勇敢的人吓倒。在管道的尽头处，阴沟猛地泻入一条大运河，对于他来说，这危险程度就像瀑布对于我们一样。

Now he was already so close to it that he couldn't stop. The boat shot out; the poor tin soldier held himself as stiffly as he could. No one was going to say that he had blinked his eyes. The boat whirled around three or four times and filled with water right up to the edge. It had to sink. The tin soldier stood in water up to his neck. The boat sank deeper and deeper; the paper grew soggier and soggier. Now the water went over the tin soldier's head. Then he thought of the lovely little dancer, whom he would never see again, and in the ears of the tin soldier rang the song:

Fare forth! Fare forth, warrior! Thou shalt suffer death!

  • fare forth 动身,起程
  • warrior 英 [ˈwɒriə(r)] 美 [ˈwɔːriər] n. 战士，勇士；鼓吹战争的人
  • stiffly 美 [ˈstɪfli]adv. 生硬地；顽固地；呆板地
  • whirl 英 [wɜːl] 美 [wɜːrl] v. （使）旋转，回旋；（使）急转，飞跑；（头脑、思想）混乱，恍惚；（思绪）接连不断 n. 旋转，回旋；一连串的事或活动；短暂的旅行；螺旋状的糖果(或饼干)
  • sink 英 [sɪŋk] 美 [sɪŋk]v. （在水或泥里）下沉；使（船只）沉没；倒下；渗透；完全被理解；使锋利物穿透表面；（物体）沉降；消失；降低；（声音）变小；挖掘；埋入；使消沉，压抑；接近死亡；隐藏；击球入洞；（非正式）猛喝 n. 洗涤槽，水槽；洼地；污水坑；（技）汇，壑；贫困地区学校（或房产）；巢，藏垢的场所adj. 位于社会条件差的贫穷地区的，贫民窟的
  • sank 英 [sæŋk] 美 [sæŋk]vt. 沉陷（sink的过去式）vi. 沉陷（sink的过去式）
  • (soggy的变形)soggy 英 [ˈsɒɡi] 美 [ˈsɑːɡi] adj. 浸水的；透湿的；沉闷的
  • thou 英 [ðaʊ] 美 [ðaʊ] pron. 你；尔，汝（古时候的叫法）
  • shalt 英 [ʃælt] 美 [ʃælt] v. 将要；必定；应该，必须（shall 的第二人称单数现在时）
  • suffer 英 [ˈsʌfə(r)] 美 [ˈsʌfər] vt. 遭受；忍受；经历 vi. 遭受，忍受；受痛苦；经验；受损害

他离它已经大近，没有办法停住，船就这样冲了下去，可怜的锡兵只能尽量挺直身体，眼皮也不动一动，表示他一点也不害怕。船旋转了三四圈，接着水漫到了船边；没有任何办法挽救它使它不沉下去了。现在他站在那里，水到了他的脖子，而船越沉越深，纸一湿就变软，松开来，最后水淹没了锡兵的头顶。他想起了那位再也看不到的娇美舞女，耳边响起了一首歌中这样的话：再见了，武士！你从来勇敢无比，一直飘到你的坟墓里。

Now the paper was torn to pieces and the tin soldier plunged through--but at the same moment he was gobbled up by a big fish.

  • torn 英 [tɔːn] 美 [tɔːrn]vt. 撕开；撕掉；扯破；击破；裂开；拉伤（肌肉、韧带）；（非正式）飞跑；（眼睛）流眼泪（tear 的过去分词）adj. 难以抉择的，摇摆不定的
  • plunge 英 [plʌndʒ] 美 [plʌndʒ] v. 使突然地下落；猛插；骤降；陡峭地向下倾斜；颠簸；跳进；（使）陷入；栽种 n. 突然跌落；（价格、数量等）骤降；投入；跳进；跳水，快速游泳
  • gobble 英 [ˈɡɒbl] 美 [ˈɡɑːbl] vi. 贪食；咯咯叫 vt. 狼吞虎咽 n. 火鸡叫声

这时候纸船已经破烂了，锡兵沉到水里去，很快就被一条大鱼吞下了肚子。

My, how dark it was in there! It was even worse than under the gutter plank, and then too it was so cramped! But the tin soldier was steadfast and lay at full length, shouldering his gun.

  • cramped 英 [kræmpt] 美 [kræmpt] adj. 狭窄的；难懂的；难辨的 v. 用夹钳夹；约束（cramp的过去分词）

噢，在鱼的肚子里是多么黑啊！比在水管里要黑得多，也窄得多，但是锡兵继续保持坚定，扛着枪平躺在那里。

The fish darted about; it made the most terrible movements. At last it was quite still. It was as if a flash of lightning had streaked through it. The light was shining quite brightly and someone shouted:"A tin soldier!"

  • darted 英 [dɑːtɪd] 美 [dɑrtɪd] 急冲，投掷，投射（ dart的过去式和过去分词 ）
  • streaked 英 [striːkt] 美 ['strikɪd] v. 在……上画条纹；把（头发）染成条纹状；疾驰；裸奔；（用针或药签在固体培养基表面）画线（streak 的过去式及过去分词） adj. 有条纹的；不安的

鱼游来游去，作出最惊人的动作，但最后完全静止下来。过了一会儿，锡兵身上好像掠过一道闪电；接着阳光照下来了，一个声音叫起来：“我敢说这是一个锡兵。”

The fish had been caught, taken to market, and sold, and had ended up in the kitchen, where the maid had cut it open with a big knife. With two fingers she picked the tin soldier up by the middle and carried him into the parlor, where they all wanted to see this remarkable man who had journeyed about in the stomach of a fish. But the tin soldier wasn't proud at all. They stood him up on the table, and there--my, what strange things can happen in this world! The tin soldier was in the very same room he had been in before! He saw the very same children and the playthings standing on the table, and the lovely castle with the beautiful little dancer. She was still standing on one leg and holding the other high in the air--she was steadfast too. The tin soldier was so moved that he could have cried tears of tin, but it wasn't proper! He looked at her and she looked at him, but they didn't say anything.

  • parlor 英 ['pɑ:lə] 美 ['pɑrlɚ] n. 客厅；会客室；业务室 adj. 客厅的
  • remarkable 英 [rɪˈmɑːkəbl] 美 [rɪˈmɑːrkəbl] adj. 卓越的；非凡的；值得注意的

原来那条鱼被捉住了，送到市场上卖给了一个女厨子，她把它拿进厨房，用一把大菜刀把它剖开，她把锡兵夹起来，用食指和大拇指就这样夹住他的腰送到房间里。大家都急着要看看这个在鱼肚子里旅行了一通的了不起的锡兵；但是他一点也不觉得自豪。他们把他放在桌子上，可是——世界上真会发生那么多意想不到的古怪事情——他竟就在原来那个房间里，他就是从这房间的窗口跌到外面去的；孩子们是原来的孩子们，桌子上是原来的玩具、原来那座美丽的宫殿，娇美的小舞女就站在它的门前；她仍旧用一条腿平衡着身体，另一条腿举起，因此她和他自己一样坚定。看到她，锡兵感动得几乎要流下锡的眼泪来，但是他忍住了。他只是看着她，两个都保持着沉默。

At the same moment one of the little boys took the tin soldier and threw him right into the tiled stove without giving any reason for doing so. It was decidedly the troll in the box who was to blame.

  • tiled 英 [taɪld] 美 [taɪl] adj. 平铺的；用瓦管排水的
  • decidedly 英 [dɪˈsaɪdɪdli] 美 [dɪˈsaɪdɪdli] adv. 果断地；断然地；明显；毫无疑问
  • blame 英 [bleɪm] 美 [bleɪm] vt. 责备；归咎于 n. 责备；责任；过失

这时候一个小男孩把锡兵拿起来扔进了火炉。他毫无理由这样做，因此这一定是鼻烟盒里那个黑妖精捣的鬼。

The tin soldier stood all aglow and felt the terrible heat--but whether it was from the real fire or from love, he didn't know. His colors were all gone, but whether that had happened on the journey or from sorrow, no one could tell. He looked at the little maiden, she looked at him, and he felt he was melting. But still he stood steadfast and shouldered his gun. Then a door opened, the wind took the dancer, and like a sylphid she flew right into the tiled stove to the tin soldier, blazed up, and was gone. Then the tin soldier melted to a clump, and when the maid took out the ashes the next day, she found him in the shape of a little tin heart. Of the dancer, on the other hand, only the spangle was left, and that was burned as black as coal.

  • aglow 英 [əˈɡləʊ] 美 [əˈɡloʊ] adj. 通红的；暖色调的，发（柔和的）光的；发红光的；（兴奋得）容光焕发的
  • sorrow 英 [ˈsɒrəʊ] 美 [ˈsɑːroʊ] n. 悲伤；懊悔；伤心事 vi.悔；遗憾；感到悲伤 vt. 为…悲痛
  • melting 英 [ˈmeltɪŋ] 美 [ˈmeltɪŋ] adj. 让人同情的，令人爱怜的，感人的，柔情似水的 v. 融化；消散，消失（melt 的现在分词）
  • sylphid 英 ['sɪlfɪd] 美 ['silfid] adj. 体态轻盈的少女的 n. 体态轻盈的少女
  • stove 英 [stəʊv] 美 [stoʊv] n. 火炉；窑；温室 vt. 用火炉烤
  • blaze 英 [bleɪz] 美 [bleɪz] v. 燃烧；发光；怒视；宣扬；在树皮上刻路标；狂射；（非正式）夺取；大力击球；带头；（报纸）耸人听闻地报道 n. 火焰，烈火；光辉；情感爆发；白斑；树皮刻痕
  • clump 英 [klʌmp] 美[klʌmp] n. 丛；笨重的脚步声；土块 vi. 形成一丛；以沉重的步子行走 vt. 使成一丛；使凝结成块
  • coal 英 [kəʊl] 美 [koʊl] n. 煤；（尤指燃烧着的）煤块；木炭 v. 供煤；采煤，提炼煤；把……烧成炭；加煤

锡兵站在那里，火焰燎到他，热得厉害，但是他说不出这是由于真实的火还是由于爱情的火。接着他看到他军服上鲜艳的颜色退了，但这是在旅途 中被洗得退去的呢，还是由于伤心而退去的呢，没有人能说出来。他看着那位小姐，那位小姐看着他。他感到自己在熔化了，但是他肩上扛着枪，保持着坚定。忽然房门打开，风把那小舞女吹起来，她像个空气仙子一样飘飘然，正好飞到火炉里锡兵的身边，马上着火，烧没了。锡兵熔化成一块锡。第二天早晨当女仆来出炉灰的时候，她发现他化成了一颗小小的锡的心。至于那位小舞女，那就什么也没有剩下，只留下了那朵用锡纸做的玫瑰花，烧黑了，像一块炭。

BBC The Brave Tin Soldier

-BBC The Brave Tin Soldier

Audio Transcript

Once there were twenty-five tin soldiers. They were all made out of the same tin kitchen spoon and were all alike – except for one. This soldier had only one leg. He was the last to be moulded and there had not been enough tin to give him two. But he stood just as straight and proud as his brothers, in his smart red and blue uniform, his musket over one shoulder.

The soldiers were a birthday present for a little boy. The boy was very pleased with his soldiers and he took them out of their box and stood them up on a table. The table was already covered with toys. The prettiest toy of all was a paper castle. It had little windows so you could see into the rooms and in front of it were tiny trees around a lake of glass. On its surface were little swans made out of wax. In the castle’s open doorway stood a girl.

She was the prettiest girl the soldier had ever seen. She was made of paper like the castle, but she wore a skirt of fi nest muslin and had a scarf of blue ribbon, which was fastened by a glittering tinsel rose. Her arms were outstretched and she stood on one leg, like a dancer. Her other leg was raised so high behind her that the soldier couldn’t see it. He thought she had only one leg like him.

‘Why, that girl has only one leg like me,’ he thought. ‘What a perfect wife she would make me. But,’ he sighed sadly, ‘she is too grand for me. She lives in a castle and my home is a box which I share with twenty-four soldiers. I can’t ask such a pretty creature to live in a box! But I could try and get to know her. What harm would there be in that?’

So the soldier lay down behind a jack in a box, which was where he could see her best, and gazed and gazed at the little dancer.That evening, when all the other tin soldiers had been put back in their box and everyone had gone to bed, the toys began to play. What a din they made. The tin soldiers rattled in their box. The nutcrackers turned somersaults. The slate pencil squeaked on the slate. They made such a noise that the canary woke up and joined in too. The only two that were quite still were the soldier and the dancer. She stood on one toe and he on his one leg – and not once did he take his eyes off her. The clock struck twelve. Suddenly the lid fl ew off the jack in a box, and out popped a goblin. He looked at the soldier who was still gazing at the dancer. ‘Tin soldier,’ he screeched. ‘Don’t wish for what does not belong to you.’

The tin soldier pretended he hadn’t heard. ‘Just you wait till morning. And don’t say I haven’t warned you,’ the goblin said. In the morning the children came in to play and the little boy put the tin soldier on the window sill. But all of a sudden something - maybe it was a draught or the little goblin - made the window swing open. And the poor soldier was knocked right off the sill and out of the window. Down, down the soldier fell, spinning like a top all three storeys to the ground. It was a dreadful fall. His leg pointed upwards, his head was down and he came to a halt at last with his bayonet stuck in between the paving stones.

The boy and a servant went outside to try and find him. They looked for him everywhere. They almost stood on top of him but even then they didn’t see him. The soldier was so quiet and still. He was too proud to call for help. Soldiers in uniform don’t call for help, he thought. While he was lying there it began to rain. The drops splashed on the soldier. Faster and faster the rain fell. It ran down the pavement and splashed into the gutter. Soon the poor soldier was drenched through.

When the rain stopped at last two boys came out to play on the pavement. They saw the tin soldier standing there, his bayonet still stuck in the ground. ‘Look! A tin soldier,’ one of them said. ‘Let’s put him out to sea.’

They made him a boat of newspaper, put the soldier aboard and set the boat down in the gutter, which by now was full of rainwater. Away the boat sped, floating down the gutter. The boys ran alongside, clapping their hands. But oh, how rough the water was in that gutter. Up and down the boat rocked and big waves picked the boat up and whirled it about until the poor soldier felt quite giddy. But he stood as steadfast as ever, looking straight ahead, his musket over his shoulder.

Suddenly the boat tipped into a tunnel that ran under the pavement. It was dark in that tunnel, as dark as the box at home. ‘Where am I?’ the soldier wondered. ‘Where am I going? This must be all the fault of that goblin. Ah, if only that pretty girl was here in the boat with me, I wouldn’t care how dark it was.’

Just then a water rat rushed out of its home in the tunnel. ‘Where do you think you’re going,’ it growled. ‘This is my tunnel. Show me your passport. You can’t travel through this tunnel without a passport.’

The soldier didn’t answer. He gripped his musket even more tightly and the boat hurtled on. The rat swam after it, grinding its teeth angrily. ‘Here. Stop him. Stop him,’ the rat yelled to the sticks and straws floating on the water. ‘He hasn’t shown me his passport. He hasn’t paid his toll.’

But nothing could stop that boat now. The stream ran stronger and stronger. Ahead now the soldier could see glimpses of daylight where the tunnel came to an end.

He could hear a strange roaring in his ears, like the noise a waterfall makes. There, at the end of the tunnel, the stream thundered downwards into a canal. Imagine! It must have been as frightening a ride for the tin soldier as a plunge down a giantwaterfall would be for us.

But he was so near the edge now that there was nothing he could do. So he stood stiff and still while the boat raced on and plunged downwards, over the edge. Down the boat hurtled on that great tide of water. He didn’t blink an eye…as once, twice,three times the boat whirled round, each time filling up more with water. Soon the boat was full to the brim and only the tin soldier’s neck and head could be seen.

Deeper and deeper the boat sank. Softer and softer the paper grew, until the water closed right over the tin soldier’s head. And as he sank, he thought about the lovely little dancer who he would never see again. In his ears rang the words of a song.

‘Onward, onward, warrior, Meet your fate; show no fear.’

The boat reached the bottom and away floated the soldier – straight into the open mouth of a huge fish. And with one great gulp the fish had swallowed the tin soldier whole.

It wasn’t at all comfortable inside that fish. It was dark – even darker than the tunnel - and there wasn’t much room to move about. But the soldier didn’t lose his courage. He lay there in the fi sh’s stomach, his musket still over his shoulder.

Suddenly he felt the fish jerk, and it began to twist and thrash around in the water. Inside the fish’s stomach the poor soldier bumped up and down and from side to side. Then just as suddenly the thrashing stopped and something flashed through the fishlike a streak of lightning. The soldier looked up – into the bright light of a busy kitchen. After the dark the bright light dazzled him. ‘Why! It’s the tin soldier!’ he heard a voice exclaim.

And how had he come to be there? Well, the fish that had swallowed him had been caught, taken to market and sold and then carried into the kitchen where the cook had cut it open with a large knife.

Now the cook picked up the soldier, between her finger and thumb, and carried him into the living room so that all the family could see and admire him. ‘What a remarkable soldier he is,’ he heard the family say. ‘He must be proud of himself.’ But the tin soldier didn’t feel proud. ‘What have I to be proud of?’ he thought.

He was put down on the table – in the very room where all his adventures had begun. And there were all the toys; there were the children. There was the fine paper castle. And there too was the little dancer, still poised just as gracefully on one leg.

‘She is as steadfast as me’, the soldier thought. He felt his eyes fill with tears. He wanted to cry. But soldiers don’t cry. He looked at her and she looked at him. But neither of them said a word to the other.

And then something dreadful happened. One of the children picked up the tin soldier and flung him headfirst into the burning stove. Why did he do such a thing? It must have been the goblin’s fault. He must have whispered in the boy’s ear and guided his hand.

The soldier stood steadfast, while all around him the flames danced and crackled. The heat in the stove felt very fierce. But whether such fierce heat came from the flames or from his burning love he did not know. His bright colours had all gone now, but whether they had faded on his journey or through his sorrow, who could say?

He looked at the little dancer and she at him. He felt as if he was melting in the heat, but he stood as steadfast as ever, his musket still over his shoulder. Suddenly the door of the stove fl ew open. A gust of air caught the pretty little paper dancer and she fl ew like a fairy right into the stove, straight to the waiting tin soldier.

And there the flames caught her and in a flash she was gone. Soon the soldier had melted down to a lump of tin. In the morning the maid came into the room to rake out the ashes in the stove. And there she found the soldier – in the shape of a little tin heart. But what was left of the dancer? Only her tinsel rose – and that was charred and as black as soot.

Synopsis

David Tennant reads an adaptation of 'The brave Tin Soldier' by Hans Christian Andersen.

Twenty-five toy soldiers are made from an old tin spoon. They are all alike except for one, which was last to be made. He has only one leg, because they ran out of tin, but stands as straight as his brothers.

The soldiers are a birthday present for a little boy. The boy stands them on a table with other toys, one of which is a pretty dancer made of paper. The one-legged soldier falls in love with the dancer but doesn't tell her. He thinks she will be too grand for him as she lives in a castle, while he lives in a box.

One night a goblin jumps out of a jack-in-the-box. He warns the soldier that he shouldn’t wish for what doesn't belong to him and should wait to see what happens in the morning.

When morning comes the boy puts the soldier on the window sill. He is blown out of the open window. He's found by some other boys and when it starts to rain he's put into a paper boat and washed down a drain. A rat tries to make him pay a toll. Then he plunges into a canal and is eaten by a fish. The fish is caught and sold at market and then taken to the house where the soldier began his journey. The soldier is found when the fish is cut open.

The soldier is put back with his brothers but one of the other children, perhaps having been put up to it by the goblin, throws him on the fire. A gust of wind then blows the paper dancer onto the fire and she is immediately consumed by flames. The soldier melts into a lump of heart-shaped tin.

Download the transcript of The Brave Tin Soldier (pdf)

Curriculum guidance

Tales of Hans Christian Andersen can be used to target a range of Reading and Writing objectives from the KS2 National Curriculum programme of study for English across Y3 to Y6 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Second Level of the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. Specific objectives include increasing pupils’ familiarity with a range of texts ‘including fairy stories’ and ’traditional stories’.

Pupils have the opportunity to listen to and read a selection of Andersen’s stories - especially adapted for the age group - and respond through a range of speaking and writing activities. Full details of curriculum links and follow up activities are included in the Teachers’ Notes.

Some of Hans Christian Andersen's tales have a dark and pessimistic theme. This means that careful selection of texts is required to ensure age-appropriateness. Please see the teachers' notes below for full synopses and suggestions for use in the classroom.

Download the Teachers' Notes for Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (pdf)

Background

The tale was first published in 1838 and has since been adapted into films and ballet.

Reading / listening comprehension

  • Why does the soldier only have one leg?
  • On what occasions during the story does the soldier say or do nothing, when more decisive action might have brought a better outcome? Why is the soldier so reluctant to act?
  • How might the story have turned out differently had the soldier acted differently on those occasions?
  • Why does the dancer appear only to have one leg?
  • How do you think the dancer feels about the soldier and why?
  • What is the motive for the goblin’s actions?