"This is the Stahlbaum's house." "These are their children, Marie and Fritz." "It was Christmas Eve when there was always a big family party." "The children had been waiting and waiting for the guests to arrive." "The house was full of rich, wonderful smells of baking and chocolate and peppermint sticks." "Listen!" "Something was happening behind the living room door." "The tree!" "Here they all came, the Christmas guests uncles, aunts and cousins, all splendidly dressed for the party." "Here they came for the happiest night of the year." "It was such a tree, and surrounded by the most tantalizing presents." "But first, it was time for the games to begin and the Christmas dancing." "But what was this?" "Who was this?" "A strange man with three huge boxes and a boy." "Then Marie knew." "It was her godfather, Drosselmeier." "Magical things always happened when he came to the house." "It was her godfather Drosselmeier's nephew." "She'd never met him before." "Magic!" "Magic!" "After Godfather Drosselmeier put his magical dancing dolls back in their boxes he brought out toys for the children." "A hobby horse for Marie." "Well, maybe not." "But look, here's something better." "A soldier with a strong jaw." "He's a nutcracker!" "Who shall have him?" "Marie slept that Christmas Eve." "And she dreamed of Godfather Drosselmeier and his very special nephew." "She dreamed of her own dear nutcracker and his sad fate." "He was down there alone in the living room, in the dark." "All on his own." "Magical things always happened when Godfather Drosselmeier came to the house." "In the snowy forest in the enchanted land to which Marie and her prince had come the snowflakes danced." "News of the prince and Marie was brought to the land of the Sugarplum Fairy by the Christmas tree angels." "One by one the Sugarplum Fairy brought in all the delights of her land." "Hot Chocolate from Spain." "Coffee from Arabia." "Chinese Tea." "The Candy Canes." "Marzipan and her shepherd girls." "The little Polichinelles like dolls." "Dewdrop and her garlands of flowers." "The Sugarplum Fairy welcomed them and asked the prince to tell of his adventures as the nutcracker." "A wonderful throne and banquet were brought in for Marie and the prince and the Sugarplum Fairy announced that in their honor everyone in turn would dance." "Into the great room, the Sugarplum Fairy came with her cavalier to dance for Marie and her prince." "Marie knew that it was time to leave the enchanted land though everything she had seen, like a wonderful dream would stay with her always." "And her nutcracker prince would go with her on this magical Christmas Eve."