Summary: Ben finds that trying to spend quality time during the Christmas season with Adam and Hoss can be challenging.
\nRating: G Words 2140
\nWritten for the 2022 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar<\/p>\n
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\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Steadfast<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cIs Little Joe asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOui, mon cher, at least for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfect, I have the book. Would you mind asking Adam and Hoss to come downstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben rubbed his hand together in satisfaction. This was going to be great. It was nearly Christmas, and he hadn\u2019t had much time to spend with Adam and Hoss that wasn\u2019t contaminated with chores and homework or interrupted by a demanding toddler. He had just the thing to remedy the situation.<\/p>\n
When the boys and Marie joined him in their accustomed seats in front of the fireplace, Ben took the rare opportunity to show off \u2014just a little\u2014at the treat he\u2019d prepared.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoys, family time is important.\u00a0\u00a0I know a lot has been going on, and sometimes things don\u2019t always go as planned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPa, are we in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Hoss, no one is in trouble.\u00a0\u00a0Why would you think such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExperience?\u201d muttered Adam. Hmmm, this was going to be one of those nights, was it? Were thirteen-year-olds ever cheerful? Ignoring the comment was probably the wisest choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact,\u201d Ben continued in a tone cheerful enough for everyone, \u201ca special book arrived today. I thought that I could read one of the stories tonight, and if everyone agreed, we\u2019d keep reading the book until Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPa, I know how to read, and I\u2019m too old for a bedtime story.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hush up, Adam!\u201d Hoss erupted with a shout that had Marie shushing him for fear of waking Little Joe. \u201cI like to hear Pa read, so you can just sit there if you don\u2019t like it!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Well, that was enthusiastic of Hoss if not exactly cheerful. It appeared all it took was to have seven-year-old Hoss thrust out his chin and glare at his older brother to make Adam subside into sulky silence.\u00a0\u00a0At least it was silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat will you read?\u201d asked Marie.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis book is a collection of fairy tales.\u201d A loud groan emanated from his oldest son.<\/p>\n
Ben dropped his head for a moment and reminded himself to ignore the boy. Everyone said that thirteen was a difficult age. \u201cIt\u2019s written by a man who is very popular in Europe, Hans Christian Anderson. We\u2019re very lucky to have this translation. I haven\u2019t had the chance to read any of the stories yet, but I thought we could start with the story titled, The Steadfast Tin Soldier.[i]\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam perked up a bit, but Hoss looked a mite confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does \u2018steadfast\u2019 mean?<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, when someone is steadfast it means that they hold onto their beliefs, they stay calm and just do what they think is the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Satisfied, Hoss leaned back against Marie\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce upon a time five and twenty tin solders were made out of the same old tin spoon . . . Each solder was exactly like the other in shape, except just one who had been made last when the tin had run short, but there he stood as firmly on his one leg as the others did on two.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that being steadfast, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would think so, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c . . . There were many other playthings on the table being set out, but the nicest of all was a pretty little castle made of cardboard with windows through which you could see the rooms. In front of the castle stood some little trees surrounding a tiny mirror which looked like a lake. . . the most beautiful thing was a little lady who stood in the open doorway.\u00a0\u00a0She was cut out of paper, but she had on a dress of the finest muslin with a scarf of narrow blue ribbon around her shoulders, fastened in the middle with a glittering rose of gold paper. The little lady was stretching out both her arms, for she was a dancer, and was lifting up one leg so high in the air that the tin soldier couldn\u2019t see it, and thought that she, too, had only one leg.\u00a0\u00a0\u2018That\u2019s the wife for me, he thought.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben couldn\u2019t keep himself from pausing to look upon his own pretty lady who just happened to be wearing a blue shawl around her shoulders. Marie met his gaze with a soft look so full of promise that it made Ben feel a little warm, despite the draft coming from the front window.<\/p>\n
\u201cAwww, come on,\u201d moaned Adam, who had a hand over his own eyes.<\/p>\n
Oops. Best to save those looks for later. Ben resumed reading.<\/p>\n
\u201c . . . he stretched himself out behind a snuff box that lay on the table from there he could watch the dainty little lady . . . When the night came all the other tin soldiers went into the box, and the people of the house went to bed. Then the toys began to play at visiting, dancing and fighting . . . the only two who didn\u2019t stir from their places were the tin solder and the little dancer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMama, do you think that\u2019s true? Do you think toys come alive when we\u2019re asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be dumb, Hoss. Toys aren\u2019t alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know everything! Maybe it\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben wasn\u2019t sure exactly what he\u2019d expected from this evening\u2019s entertainment, but he hadn\u2019t pictured his boys fighting over whether toys were actually alive. Frankly, his patience was beginning to wear a bit thin, and if Marie hadn\u2019t taken it upon herself to end the quarrel, he might have given up on the story.<\/p>\n
When peace was restored, Ben continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe clock struck twelve, and crack! off flew the lid of the spice-box . . . inside was a little imp . . . a magical creature like a fairy, only naughty.<\/p>\n
\u2018Hullo, tin soldier! Don\u2019t look at things that aren\u2019t intended for you.\u201d But the tin soldier took no notice and seemed not to hear. \u2018Very well, wait for tomorrow.\u2019 When it was morning, the tin soldier was put in the window and whether it was the wind or the imp, the window flew open and out fell the little tin soldier . . .\u00a0\u00a0he landed on his head with his leg in the air.<\/p>\n
The maid and the little boy came down at once to look for him, but they didn\u2019t notice him. If the tin soldier had called out they must have found him, but he didn\u2019t think it fitting to cry out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t he ask for help, Pa?\u00a0\u00a0You always tell us to ask for help when we\u2019re trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
To Ben\u2019s surprise, Adam answered Hoss\u2019s question.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe solder was being steadfast, remember?\u00a0\u00a0He didn\u2019t think it was right to call out for help because he was a solder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hiding his smile at Adam\u2019s engagement with the story (finally!), Ben continued reading.<\/p>\n
\u201cSoon it began to rain . . . a regular downpour. When it was over, two little street boys came by . . . they made a little boat of newspaper, put the tin soldier in it and made him sail up and down the gutter. . . the water went so quick the tin soldier trembled, but he remained steadfast . . . All at once the boat passed under a long tunnel that was as dark as his box had been.<\/p>\n
The current became swifter and stronger. The tin soldier could see daylight where the tunnel ended. . . At the end of the tunnel the gutter emptied into a large canal . . . On went the boat with the poor tin soldier. The boat whirled round and became filled with water and began to sink . . . Deeper and deeper sank the boat and softer and softer grew the paper. Now the water was over his head. He was thinking of the pretty little dancer whose face he would never see again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps, this story is a little frightening for the children,\u201d Marie murmured. Ben was wondering about that himself, but rather than terrified, his sons seemed completely absorbed in the tale.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe paper came in two, and the soldier fell \u2013 but at that moment he was swallowed by a great fish.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat! Did I hear that right?\u201d Adam interrupted. When Ben confirmed that, yes, the tin soldier had been swallowed by a big fish, the boy flopped back against the blue velvet cushion of his favorite chair.<\/p>\n
\u201c. . . Up and down swam the fish and made the most dreadful contortions and became suddenly quite still. Then as if by a flash of lightning . . . the daylight streamed in and a voice exclaimed, \u2018Why here is the little tin solder!\u2019 The fish had been caught . . . sold and brought into the kitchen where the cook had cut it open . . . She carried the tin soldier into the room where everyone wanted to see the hero who been found inside the fish. . .\u00a0\u00a0The tin soldier was in the same room with . . . the same children . . .\u00a0\u00a0and the same grand castle with the pretty little dancer. . . He looked at her but she said nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievable!\u201d Adam muttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a\u00a0fairy<\/i>\u00a0tale<\/i>, Adam,\u201d Hoss interjected calmly. Ben caught Marie\u2019s eye, and it was all he could do not to burst into laughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll at once, one of the little boys took up the tin soldier and threw him into the stove, giving no reason, but doubtless the imp was as at the bottom of this. There the tin soldier lay and felt a great heat that was truly terrible . . . he looked at the little lady, she looked at him, and he felt that he was melting, but he remained steadfast. Suddenly a door opened, the draft caught up the little dancer and she flew like a fairy to the tin soldier in the stove, burst into flames \u2013 and that was the end of her!\u00a0\u00a0Then the tin soldier melted down into a little lump \u2013 and that was the end of him . . . next morning, when the maid was taking out the ashes, she found him melted in the shape of a heart. There was nothing left of the little dancer but her gilt rose burned as black as a cinder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey DIED?! They both DIED?!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat Christmas story, Pa.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Where had his eldest learned sarcasm?<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, remember, mon petit, this is only a story.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, it is sad at the end, but it was very exciting, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, \u2018exciting\u2019 was one word for it.\u00a0\u00a0Blast it, he should have looked at these stories before reading one of them to his family. Was there anyway to salvage this disaster of a story? Nothing to do but fall back on tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, boys,\u201d Ben asked, \u201cwhat do you think the moral of this story is?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Ben sincerely hoped someone had a good answer because he was running a bit dry of ideas himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody dies in the end?\u201d Adam offered. Really, that was the best the boy could come up with? Ben wasn\u2019t certain if his son was being sincere or being a smart aleck.\u00a0\u00a0All things considered, he was leaning toward \u2018smart aleck.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI know!\u201d Hoss was hopping up and down with excitement. \u201cIt\u2019s a story about Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n
That . . . was not what Ben expected. From the look on Adam\u2019s face, it wasn\u2019t what the older boy expected either.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat little soldier was steadfast, right? He did what he believed in, right?\u00a0\u00a0And, he . . .\u00a0\u00a0he stayed calm, right?\u00a0\u00a0He even got all melted up and didn\u2019t yell or complain or nothin\u2019, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrue . . .\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just what Jesus did, too . . . \u2018cept he didn\u2019t get melted. AND Jesus was born at Christmas, right? So, it is, too, a Christmas story.\u00a0\u00a0I liked it a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Out of the mouths of babes.\u00a0\u00a0Ben was so surprised and proud, he was actually a little misty-eyed. Even Adam seemed impressed by his little brother\u2019s logic.<\/p>\n
\u201cMama, I hear Little Joe hollerin\u2019. Can we go upstairs and see him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marie bundled Hoss up the stairs to tend to the child that everyone could now hear \u2018hollerin.\u2019 Ben sighed and sank back into his chair, wondering about the wisdom of continuing this story time tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cPa,\u201d Adam broke the silence in the most respectful tone of voice Ben had heard from him in a week. \u201cCould I choose the story for tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n
Again . . . that was not what Ben expected to hear. From years of hunting (and raising children), Ben knew better than to appear too eager\u2014mustn\u2019t frighten the boy off.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly. Here\u2019s the book, and if you want, choose the stories for the next few nights.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam accepted the volume and turned to head upstairs to his room. Putting his foot on the first step, the boy paused to speak to Ben one last time, \u201cBeing steadfast is a good thing.\u00a0\u00a0Thanks, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was turning out to be one of the best ideas Ben had come up with in a long time.<\/p>\n
XXXXXXXXXX MERRY CHRISTMAS XXXXXXXXXX<\/p>\n
My prompts were:<\/p>\n
Primary character: Ben<\/p>\n
Item: Tin soldier<\/p>\n
[i]\u00a0I\u2019ve used an online translation of this story as the basis for what Ben read to the family. For purposes of\u00a0THIS<\/i>\u00a0story, I have shortened the narrative considerably. Please check out the entire story at\u00a0www.storynory.com\/the-steadfast-tin-soldier\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n