Soonitbegantodrizzle；thenthedropscamefaster，andtherewasaregulardown-pour。Whenitwasover，twolittlestreetboyscamealong。
　　’Justlook！’criedone。’HereisaTin-soldier！Heshallsailupanddowninaboat！’
　　Sotheymadealittleboatoutofnewspaper，puttheTin-soldierinit，andmadehimsailupanddownthegutter；boththeboysranalongbesidehim，clappingtheirhands。Whatgreatwavestherewereinthegutter，andwhataswiftcurrent！Thepaper-boattossedupanddown，andinthemiddleofthestreamitwentsoquickthattheTin-soldiertrembled；butheremainedsteadfast，showednoemotion，lookedstraightinfrontofhim，shoulderinghisgun。Allatoncetheboatpassedunderalongtunnelthatwasasdarkashisboxhadbeen。
　　’WherecanIbecomingnow？’hewondered。’Oh，dear！Thisistheblackimp’sfault！Ah，ifonlythelittleladyweresittingbesidemeintheboat，itmightbetwiceasdarkforallIshouldcare！’
　　Suddenlytherecamealongagreatwater-ratthatlivedinthetunnel。
　　’Haveyouapassport？’askedtherat。’Outwithyourpassport！’
　　ButtheTin-soldierwassilent，andgraspedhisgunmorefirmly。
　　Theboatspedon，andtheratbehindit。Ugh！howheshowedhisteeth，ashecriedtothechipsofwoodandstraw:’Holdhim，holdhim！hehasnotpaidthetoll！Hehasnotshownhispassport！’
　　Butthecurrentbecameswifterandstronger。TheTin-soldiercouldalreadyseedaylightwherethetunnelended；butinhisearstheresoundedaroaringenoughtofrightenanybraveman。
　　Onlythink！attheendofthetunnelthegutterdischargeditselfintoagreatcanal；thatwouldbejustasdangerousforhimasitwouldbeforustogodownawaterfall。
　　Nowhewassoneartoitthathecouldnotholdonanylonger。
　　Onwenttheboat，thepoorTin-soldierkeepinghimselfasstiffashecould:nooneshouldsayofhimafterwardsthathehadflinched。Theboatwhirledthree，fourtimesround，andbecamefilledtothebrimwithwater:itbegantosink！TheTin-soldierwasstandinguptohisneckinwater，anddeeperanddeepersanktheboat，andsofterandsoftergrewthepaper；nowthewaterwasoverhishead。HewasthinkingoftheprettylittleDancer，whosefaceheshouldneverseeagain，andtheresoundedinhisears，overandoveragain:
　　’Forward，forward，soldierbold！
　　Death’sbeforethee，grimandcold！’
　　Thepapercameintwo，andthesoldierfell——butatthatmomenthewasswallowedbyagreatfish。
　　Oh！howdarkitwasinside，evendarkerthaninthetunnel，anditwasreallyveryclosequarters！ButtherethesteadfastlittleTin-soldierlayfulllength，shoulderinghisgun。
　　Upanddownswamthefish，thenhemadethemostdreadfulcontortions，andbecamesuddenlyquitestill。Thenitwasasifaflashoflightninghadpassedthroughhim；thedaylightstreamedin，andavoiceexclaimed，’Why，hereisthelittleTin-soldier！’Thefishhadbeencaught，takentomarket，sold，andbroughtintothekitchen，wherethecookhadcutitopenwithagreatknife。Shetookupthesoldierbetweenherfingerandthumb，andcarriedhimintotheroom，whereeveryonewantedtoseetheherowhohadbeenfoundinsideafish；buttheTin-soldierwasnotatallproud。Theyputhimonthetable，and——no，butwhatstrangethingsdohappeninthisworld！——theTin-soldierwasinthesameroominwhichhehadbeenbefore！Hesawthesamechildren，andthesametoysonthetable；andtherewasthesamegrandcastlewiththeprettylittleDancer。Shewasstillstandingononelegwiththeotherhighintheair；shetoowassteadfast。ThattouchedtheTin-soldier，hewasnearlygoingtoshedtin-tears；butthatwouldnothavebeenfittingforasoldier。Helookedather，butshesaidnothing。
　　AllatonceoneofthelittleboystookuptheTin-soldier，andthrewhimintothestove，givingnoreasons；butdoubtlessthelittleblackimpinthesnuff-boxwasatthebottomofthistoo。
　　TheretheTin-soldierlay，andfeltaheatthatwastrulyterrible；butwhetherhewassufferingfromactualfire，orfromtheardourofhispassion，hedidnotknow。Allhiscolourhaddisappeared；whetherthishadhappenedonhistravelsorwhetheritwastheresultoftrouble，whocansay？Helookedatthelittlelady，shelookedathim，andhefeltthathewasmelting；
　　butheremainedsteadfast，withhisgunathisshoulder。
　　Suddenlyadooropened，thedraughtcaughtupthelittleDancer，andoffsheflewlikeasylphtotheTin-soldierinthestove，burstintoflames——andthatwastheendofher！ThentheTin-soldiermelteddownintoalittlelump，andwhennextmorningthemaidwastakingouttheashes，shefoundhimintheshapeofaheart。TherewasnothingleftofthelittleDancerbuthergiltrose，burntasblackasacinder。
　　Farawayinthecountrylayanoldmanor-housewherelivedanoldsquirewhohadtwosons。Theythoughtthemselvessoclever，thatiftheyhadknownonlyhalfofwhattheydidknow，itwouldhavebeenquiteenough。TheybothwantedtomarrytheKing’sdaughter，forshehadproclaimedthatshewouldhaveforherhusbandthemanwhoknewbesthowtochoosehiswords。
　　Bothpreparedforthewooingawholeweek，whichwasthelongesttimeallowedthem；but，afterall，itwasquitelongenough，fortheybothhadpreparatoryknowledge，andeveryoneknowshowusefulthatis。OneknewthewholeLatindictionaryandalsothreeyears’issueofthedailypaperofthetownoffbyheart，sothathecouldrepeatitallbackwardsorforwardsasyoupleased。Theotherhadworkedatthelawsofcorporation，andknewbyheartwhateverymemberofthecorporationoughttoknow，sothathethoughthecouldquitewellspeakonStatemattersandgivehisopinion。Heunderstood，besidesthis，howtoembroiderbraceswithrosesandotherflowers，andscrolls，forhewasveryreadywithhisfingers。
　　’Ishallwintheking’sdaughter！’theybothcried。
　　Theiroldfathergaveeachofthemafinehorse；theonewhoknewthedictionaryandthedailypaperbyhearthadablackhorse，whiletheotherwhowassocleveratcorporationlawhadamilk-
　　whiteone。Thentheyoiledthecornersoftheirmouthssothattheymightbeabletospeakmorefluently。Alltheservantsstoodinthecourtyardandsawthemmounttheirsteeds，andherebychancecamethethirdbrother；forthesquirehadthreesons，butnobodycountedhimwithhisbrothers，forhewasnotsolearnedastheywere，andhewasgenerallycalled’Blockhead-Hans。’
　　’Oh，oh！’saidBlockhead-Hans。’Whereareyouoffto？YouareinyourSunday-bestclothes！’
　　’WearegoingtoCourt，towoothePrincess！Don’tyouknowwhatisknownthroughoutallthecountryside？’Andtheytoldhimallaboutit。
　　’Hurrah！I’llgoto！’criedBlockhead-Hans；andthebrotherslaughedathimandrodeoff。
　　’Dearfather！’criedBlockhead-Hans，’Imusthaveahorsetoo。
　　Whatadesireformarriagehasseizedme！Ifshewillhaveme，sheWILLhaveme，andifshewon’thaveme，Iwillhaveher。’
　　’Stopthatnonsense！’saidtheoldman。’Iwillnotgiveyouahorse。YOUcan’tspeak；YOUdon’tknowhowtochooseyourwords。
　　Yourbrothers！Ah！theyareverydifferentlads！’
　　’Well，’saidBlockhead-Hans，’ifIcan’thaveahorse，Iwilltakethegoatwhichismine；hecancarryme！’
　　Andhedidso。Hesatastrideonthegoat，struckhisheelsintoitsside，andwentrattlingdownthehigh-roadlikeahurricane。
　　’Hoppettyhop！whataride！’HereIcome！’shoutedBlockhead-
　　Hans，singingsothattheechoeswererousedfarandnear。Buthisbrotherswereridingslowlyinfront。Theywerenotspeaking，buttheywerethinkingoverallthegoodthingstheyweregoingtosay，foreverythinghadtobethoughtout。
　　’Hullo！’bawledBlockhead-Hans，’hereIam！JustlookwhatI
　　foundontheroad！’——andheshowedthemadeadcrowwhichhehadpickedup。
　　’Blockhead！’saidhisbrothers，’whatareyougoingtodowithit？’
　　’Withthecrow？IshallgiveittothePrincess！’
　　’Doso，certainly！’theysaid，laughingloudlyandridingon。
　　’Slap！bang！hereIamagain！LookwhatIhavejustfound！
　　Youdon’tfindsuchthingseverydayontheroad！’Andthebrothersturnedroundtoseewhatintheworldhecouldhavefound。
　　’Blockhead！’saidthey，’thatisanoldwoodenshoewithoutthetop！Areyougoingtosendthat，too，tothePrincess？’
　　’OfcourseIshall！’returnedBlockhead-Hans；andthebrotherslaughedandrodeonagoodway。
　　’Slap！bang！hereIam！’criedBlockhead-Hans；’betterandbetter——itisreallyfamous！’
　　’Whathaveyoufoundnow？’askedthebrothers。
　　’Oh，’saidBlockhead-Hans，’itisreallytoogood！HowpleasedthePrincesswillbe！’
　　’Why！’saidthebrothers，’thisispuremud，straightfromtheditch。’
　　’Ofcourseitis！’saidBlockhead-Hans，’anditisthebestkind！