"Nutcracker and the Mouse-King" (1816) – a fairy-tale for everyone by E. T. A. Hoffmann

Marie’s godfather is a very talented watchmaker who gives his grandchildren a castle with a marvellous set of animated figures on Christmas Eve – and a strangely realistic little figure with a large head that can crack nuts with its teeth. These presents are carefully put away by the parents for safekeeping out of reach of the children in a large showcase in the front hall, and Marie lingers there at midnight to admire them when she sees a group of mice led by their strange seven-headed king coming with aggressive intentions on the showcase. Whereupon the toy soldiers of Marie’s brother, led by Nutcracker, come to life, climb down from the showcase and engage in tremendous battle with the invaders.

That is the beginning of a series of dramatic adventures involving Nutcracker, the mice and their fearful king and queen, Marie’s dolls, the marzipan figurines that Marie has salvaged from the Christmas feast, the enigmatic godfather and his even more enigmatic nephew, and especially Marie herself.

An utterly charming and even moving fable overflowing with a spirit of deep affection and respect for small children, a brilliant foray into the realm of fantasy that the author of Views on Life of the Tomcat Murr was so gifted at evoking.

=>CLICK HERE