The Steadfast Tin Soldier
A one-legged tin soldier has a lively adventure and bravely returns to his friends.
One sunny morning, a little tin soldier woke up in a bright new box. He stood with twenty-one other tin soldiers, all tall and shiny. But this little soldier had just one leg! He didn’t mind at all. He stood proudly and looked around the toy room with a happy smile. Near him was a lovely paper ballerina, standing on one toe, arms high. The tin soldier thought she was the most amazing toy.
At night, when the clock went tick-tock twelve, the toys all came to life. The jack-in-the-box leaped up and said, “You and the ballerina both stand on one foot!” The little tin soldier giggled and wasn’t upset—he enjoyed being special. The ballerina twirled and gave him a friendly smile.
Suddenly, a breezy wind blew the window open, and oops! The tin soldier tumbled out. Down he went, and landed softly on the sidewalk. The outside world looked very big! A line of little ants found the tin soldier and tried to roll him away, thinking he was a shiny pebble. “Thank you, but I am a tin soldier!” he called, and the ants scurried off, waving goodbye.
Next, a gentle brown dog spotted him and nudged him closer to home. “Good luck!” barked the dog. Then, a splash! The tin soldier slipped into a big puddle. A paper boat floated by, and he climbed aboard. Off he went, sailing under the stars, feeling brave.
Along the water, some ducks said, “Hello!” and splashed water everywhere. It made the tin soldier laugh. Then a happy green frog jumped on the boat. “Come see my pond!” said the frog. But the boat was getting wet and soft! “Let’s get you back!” said the frog, and helped push the boat along.
Soon a gentle cat meowed and steered the boat to the house. A friendly wind whooshed the tin soldier right back through the window and into the toy room, beside the ballerina at last. All the toys cheered for the brave little soldier. He smiled wide and stood tall and strong on his one special leg.
If you have a kind heart and try your best, you can be brave no matter what makes you different.
At night, when the clock went tick-tock twelve, the toys all came to life. The jack-in-the-box leaped up and said, “You and the ballerina both stand on one foot!” The little tin soldier giggled and wasn’t upset—he enjoyed being special. The ballerina twirled and gave him a friendly smile.
Suddenly, a breezy wind blew the window open, and oops! The tin soldier tumbled out. Down he went, and landed softly on the sidewalk. The outside world looked very big! A line of little ants found the tin soldier and tried to roll him away, thinking he was a shiny pebble. “Thank you, but I am a tin soldier!” he called, and the ants scurried off, waving goodbye.
Next, a gentle brown dog spotted him and nudged him closer to home. “Good luck!” barked the dog. Then, a splash! The tin soldier slipped into a big puddle. A paper boat floated by, and he climbed aboard. Off he went, sailing under the stars, feeling brave.
Along the water, some ducks said, “Hello!” and splashed water everywhere. It made the tin soldier laugh. Then a happy green frog jumped on the boat. “Come see my pond!” said the frog. But the boat was getting wet and soft! “Let’s get you back!” said the frog, and helped push the boat along.
Soon a gentle cat meowed and steered the boat to the house. A friendly wind whooshed the tin soldier right back through the window and into the toy room, beside the ballerina at last. All the toys cheered for the brave little soldier. He smiled wide and stood tall and strong on his one special leg.
If you have a kind heart and try your best, you can be brave no matter what makes you different.
