The Tin-soldier was standing up to his neck in water , and 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 should never see again , and there sounded in his ears , over and over again : ` Forward , forward , soldier bold ! Death 's before thee , grim and cold ! ' The paper came in two , and the soldier fell -- but at that moment he was swallowed by a great fish . Oh ! how dark it was inside , even darker than in the tunnel , and it was really very close quarters ! But there the steadfast little Tin-soldier lay full length , shouldering his gun . Up and down swam the fish , then he made the most dreadful contortions , and became suddenly quite still . Then it was as if a flash of lightning had passed through him ; the daylight streamed in , and a voice exclaimed , ` Why , here is the little Tin-soldier ! ' The fish had been caught , taken to market , sold , and brought into the kitchen , where the cook had cut it open with a great knife . She took up the soldier between her finger and thumb , and carried him into the room , where everyone wanted to see the hero who had been found inside a fish ; but the Tin-soldier was not at all proud . They put him on the table , and -- no , but what strange things do happen in this world ! -- the Tin-soldier was in the same room in which he had been before ! He saw the same children , and the same toys on the table ; and there was the same grand castle with the pretty little Dancer . She was still standing on one leg with the other high in the air ; she too was steadfast . That touched the Tin-soldier , he was nearly going to shed tin-tears ; but that would not have been fitting for a soldier . He looked at her , but she said nothing . All at once one of the little boys took up the Tin-soldier , and threw him into the stove , giving no reasons ; but doubtless the little black imp in the snuff-box was at the bottom of this too . There the Tin-soldier lay , and felt a heat that was truly terrible ; but whether he was suffering from actual fire , or from the ardour of his passion , he did not know . All his colour had disappeared ; whether this had happened on his travels or whether it was the result of trouble , who can say ?
He looked XXXXX the little lady , she looked at him , and he felt that he was melting ; but he remained steadfast , with his gun at his shoulder .
Up at before for from in inside of on over