Said Simple Simon to the pieman, "Pray, let me taste your ware." Said the pieman to Simple Simon, "Show me first your penny;" Said Simple Simon to the pieman, "Indeed I have not any." Simple Simon went a-fishing All the water he had got Was in his mother's pail. Simple Simon went to look If plums grew on a thistle; He pricked his fingers very much, whistle. THE BRAVE TIN SOLDIER He was a little tin soldier, One little leg had he; She was a little fairy dancer, I There were five and twenty soldiers in a box. They had been made from a tin spoon. "Tin soldiers!" cried a little boy. It was his birthday. The boy put the soldiers on the table. How straight they stood! The last soldier had only one leg. He stood just as straight as the rest. This soldier is the one with the story. There were many playthings on the table. The finest plaything was a castle. You should have seen it! There were little trees before the castle. There was a lake, too, with swans on it. But the prettiest of all was a little lady. She was cut out of paper. She wore a rose as big as her face. The little lady held out her arms. She was a fairy dancer. III "She would be just the wife for me," said Tin Soldier. "I am afraid she will not have me. She lives in a castle. I have only a box." You should have seen his sad face! At night the little boy went to sleep. Tin Soldier did not. All night he stood and looked at the fairy dancer. She stood there, too, and looked at him. “If I could only know her,” said Tin Soldier to himself. IV In the morning Tin Soldier was put He fell out! Down, down he went! The little boy came out to find Tin The boy went back into the house. When the rain was over two boys came. "Just look!" said one. "Here is a tin soldier. Let us make him a boat." They made a boat out of a newspaper. Then they put Tin Soldier into the boat. |