Nutcracker and Mouse-King - E. T. A. Hoffmann

All day on Christmas Eve in 1816, Marie and Fritz Stahlbaum have been eagerly anticipating the marvelous gifts they are sure to receive, just as in years past.But this year, scheming Godfather Droszelmeier has something else in mind. When he presents Marie a very odd but very special gift, she finds herself swept into a puzzling prophecy involving a fierce battle between dolls and mice, a strangely vivid fairy-tale, nightly visitations by a sinister presence, and a fantastical journey through a magical..