كان كل جندي الصورة الحيّة للآخرين، لكن واحدًا منهم كان مختلفًا قليلًا. كان له ساق واحدة فقط، لأنه سُبك آخرًا حين نفد القصدير. ومع ذلك وقف ثابتًا على ساقه الواحدة كما وقف الآخرون على ساقيهم؛ وهو الجندي القصديري الذي سنسمع حكايته.

“Each soldier was the living image of the others, but there was one who was a bit different. He had only one leg, for he was the last to be cast and the tin had run out. Still, there he stood, just as steadfast on his one leg as the others on their two; and he is the tin soldier we are going to hear about.”Hans Christian Andersen