A young boy receives a set of twenty-five toy soldiers for his birthday. The last soldier was cast from an old tin spoon and, lacking enough metal to make the full soldier, is missing a leg. In the boy's room, the soldier sees a ballerina with a spangle on her sash, striking a pose of standing on one leg. The soldier instantly falls in love with her, and despite his reservations about being worthy of her, decides he must speak with her. That night, a goblin named Jack-in-the-Box warns the soldier to stay away from the ballerina, but the soldier ignores him. The next day, presumably because of the goblin, the soldier falls from the windowsill onto the street. Two boys find the soldier. They make a paper boat and place him inside, sending him down the gutter. The soldier sails down the gutte