the hop FTUL You should have seen him sail! The boat rocked up and down. The boys ran along. "Look! Look!" cried they. Just then the boat went into a black hole. Tin Soldier was as brave as he could be. He found himself in a river. The boat was getting wet. Down it went! Did Tin Soldier go, too? Yes, he was snapped up by a big fish. Was that the end of Tin Soldier? The fish went along very fast. Then it was caught. It was cut open! Some one said, "The tin soldier!" There was the little boy. There, too, was the fairy dancer! The story is now soon over. Some one threw Tin Soldier into the stove. He began to melt in the hot fire. He looked at the fairy dancer. She looked at him. What was the end? The wind blew her into the stove, too! This is an old, old story. It is older than your mother. It is about a princess named Una. She lived with her father and mother. She loved them dearly. They loved her, too. She was very good. Una's father was king over all the land. Her mother was the queen. They lived in this stone castle. Do you not think it lovely? How would you like to live in a castle like this? Una was very happy in it. When the sun shone she would walk out doors with her mother. When it rained or was cold, she sat inside before the big fire. Back of the castle was a great forest. One day a great dragon came out He killed many people. All the people that could, went away. The rest of the people shut themselves up in their houses. Even the king and the queen were afraid to go out of the castle. Who could kill the dragon? II Una said, "I shall go to Fairy Land. He will come and kill the dragon." Una left the castle at night while the dragon was asleep. She wore a black dress and rode on a white horse. Her face was so lovely that every one said, "How good she must be!" Una came at last to the castle in Fairy Land. |