The Story of a Brave Tin Soldier

This small story of a brave child is one of the most popular fairy tales written by Hans Christian Anderson, the Brave Tin Soldier, is a tragic story of a one-legged soldier made of tin who falls in love with a ballerina made of paper and stands gracefully on one leg. Even though the black goblin demotivates the tin soldier, he moved forward and found his love after death.

This is not a story that shows a brave soldier fighting. It is a story of a brave heart that does not abandon his love even after demotivation. This story can teach kids about the power of determination and hope.

Summary of the Brave Tin Soldier Story

The brave tin soldier is a small story of a brave child. The child is a tin soldier with only one leg out of twenty-five kept in a box. They are all brothers, for they were made of the same old tin spoon. They all wore brilliant red and blue uniforms that were given as birthday presents to a little boy. He set them up on a table. All of them looked alike except for the brave tin soldier who stood firmly on his one leg and looked different from the others.

The table consisted of other playthings, but the prettiest of all was a ballet dancer who had raised one of her legs so high that it appeared to the brave soldier she, too, had only one leg. Finding her very much like him, the little soldier immediately fell in love with her. He lay behind a snuff box to sneak a peek at the ballerina. As he tried to connect with her, a black globin appeared from the snuff box, alerting him to stop aspiring for a ballerina out of his reach. But the little soldier, charmed in love, disregarded his warning.

After playing with the one-legged tin soldier the next morning, the children placed him on the window. Whether due to the swing of wind or Globin, he fell on his head into the street. The little boy with his maid came down to look for him, but the soldier, too prideful in his uniform, did not scream for help. Soon, it began to rain, and two boys passed by the little soldier who decided to make a boat for him. They placed the tin soldier in it and sailed him into the gutter. The boat rocked up and down, and the little soldier trembled. He came across a rat who pursued him for crossing the tunnel without a passport. Little soldier faced many barricades, but he held himself stiff. He thought of the elegant ballerina, who motivated him to overcome obstacles.

Suddenly the boat fell to pieces, and a big fish swallowed up the little soldier. The little soldier could see nothing but darkness and despair. However, destiny helped him despite all the darkness. The fish was caught by a sailor and sold to the cook of the same house he had fallen from. She picked the little soldier and carried him to the room where he saw his beloved and wept in tears.

Nevertheless, the happiness didn't last long as he was thrown into the burning stove. The heat from the flames caused him torment. His agony expanded when he realised he could never confess his love to the ballerina. He kept looking at her as he melted away. Soon after, the ballerina was thrown into the stove due to the wind, and she blazed into smoke by his side. Everything flamed up, but the tin heart and the tinsel rose, and their love for each other.

A Brave Tin Soldier

Moral of the Brave Tin Soldier Story

The story's theme is less about a brave soldier and more about the tin soldier’s love for the ballerina, which becomes his driving force for him to come out of every obstacle/ This story can help kids understand that when life goes south for you, the love you harbour for others gives you the necessary motivation to keep going. Love can make you brave. It gives you hope and faith to do great things in life.

Note to the Parents

Parents must teach their children the value and importance of compassion for others and themselves. The story of the brave tin soldier is one way parents can teach them about the same. It is also important to teach children to be comfortable when asking for help. The tin soldier was too proud to ask for help, which eventually made him face much greater misfortunes all on his own. This story is a great example of courage too which can help kids understand the power of love and respect for others.