El soldadito de plomo

Había una vez veinticinco soldados de plomo, todos hermanos, pues habían sido hechos de la misma vieja cuchara de plomo. Llevaban el fusil al hombro, miraban al frente y vestían un espléndido uniforme rojo y azul.

There were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers, who were all brothers, for they had been made out of the same old tin spoon. They shouldered arms and looked straight before them, and wore a splendid uniform, red and blue.

Lo primero que escucharon en el mundo fueron las palabras: “¡Soldaditos de plomo!”, pronunciadas por un niño que aplaudió de alegría cuando se abrió la tapa de la caja en la que yacían.

The first thing in the world they ever heard were the words, “Tin soldiers!” uttered by a little boy, who clapped his hands with delight when the lid of the box, in which they lay, was taken off.

Se los regalaron por su cumpleaños y él los puso de pie sobre la mesa.

They were given him for a birthday present, and he stood at the table to set them up.

Los soldados eran todos exactamente iguales, excepto uno, que tenía una sola pierna; había sido el último en ser fundido y, como no quedó suficiente plomo, lo hicieron apoyado en una sola pierna, lo que lo hacía muy singular.

The soldiers were all exactly alike, excepting one, who had only one leg; he had been left to the last, and then there was not enough of the melted tin to finish him, so they made him to stand firmly on one leg, and this caused him to be very remarkable.

La mesa sobre la que estaban los soldados estaba cubierta con otros juguetes, pero el más llamativo era un bonito castillo de papel. A través de sus pequeñas ventanas se podían ver las habitaciones.

The table on which the tin soldiers stood, was covered with other playthings, but the most attractive to the eye was a pretty little paper castle. Through the small windows the rooms could be seen.

Frente al castillo, unos arbolitos rodeaban un trozo de espejo que pretendía representar un lago transparente. Cisnes hechos de cera nadaban en el lago y se reflejaban en él.

In front of the castle a number of little trees surrounded a piece of looking-glass, which was intended to represent a transparent lake. Swans, made of wax, swam on the lake, and were reflected in it.

Todo aquello era muy bonito, pero lo más bonito de todo era una damisela que estaba en la puerta abierta del castillo; ella también era de papel y llevaba un vestido de muselina transparente, con una estrecha cinta azul sobre los hombros a modo de bufanda.

All this was very pretty, but the prettiest of all was a tiny little lady, who stood at the open door of the castle; she, also, was made of paper, and she wore a dress of clear muslin, with a narrow blue ribbon over her shoulders just like a scarf.

Delante de esto llevaba prendida una brillante rosa de oropel, tan grande como toda su cara.

In front of these was fixed a glittering tinsel rose, as large as her whole face.

La damisela era bailarina y extendía ambos brazos y levantaba una de sus piernas tan alto que el soldadito de plomo no podía verla en absoluto, y pensó que ella, como él, tenía una sola pierna.

The little lady was a dancer, and she stretched out both her arms, and raised one of her legs so high, that the tin soldier could not see it at all, and he thought that she, like himself, had only one leg.

“Esa es la esposa para mí”, pensó; “pero es demasiado distinguida y vive en un castillo, mientras que yo solo tengo una caja para vivir, veinticinco de nosotros en total, no es lugar para ella. Aun así, debo intentar conocerla”.

“That is the wife for me,” he thought; “but she is too grand, and lives in a castle, while I have only a box to live in, five-and-twenty of us altogether, that is no place for her. Still I must try and make her acquaintance.”

Entonces se tendió a lo largo sobre la mesa, detrás de una tabaquera que había sobre ella, para poder observar a la delicada damisela, que seguía de pie sobre una pierna sin perder el equilibrio.

Then he laid himself at full length on the table behind a snuff-box that stood upon it, so that he could peep at the little delicate lady, who continued to stand on one leg without losing her balance.

Cuando llegó la noche, los demás soldados de plomo fueron guardados en la caja y la gente de la casa se fue a dormir. Entonces los juguetes empezaron a jugar entre ellos, a hacerse visitas, a simular batallas y a dar bailes.

When evening came, the other tin soldiers were all placed in the box, and the people of the house went to bed. Then the playthings began to have their own games together, to pay visits, to have sham fights, and to give balls.