The original stories behind everyones favorite Christmas ballet It wasnt until the 1950s that seeing The Nutcracker at Christmastime became an American tradition. But the story itself is much older and its original intent more complex. This eye-opening new volume presents two of the tales earliest versions, both in new translations: E.T.A. Hoffmanns Nutcracker and Mouse King (1816), in which a young girl is whisked away to the Land of Toys to help her animated nutcracker defeat the Mouse King, and Alexandre Dumass 1845 adaptation, The Tale of the Nutcracker, based on Hoffmanns popular work. Irresistible tales of magic, mystery, and childhood adventure, these timeless delights and fresh interpretations about the importance of imagination will captivate readers of all ages.