Summary

In Hiddensee, the final, unnumbered chapter of the novel, Klara lived out her life. When she grew old, her grandchildren moved her into the old Stahlbaum house in Munich. There were tales of Klara’s story printed and distributed in different countries.

On the night Klara died, she dreamed that she relived the battle between the Mouse King and Nutcracker. Then, the dream continued so that she was a child at Meritor, her grandfather’s house, with the Nutcracker, where she saw the island of Hiddensee.

Klara inserted a key into the Nutcracker to reveal an empty drawer. She took out a miniature Godfather Drosselmeier from her pocket and placed him in the Nutcracker. She closed the drawer, but kept it unlocked for her godfather. She put the Nutcracker in the water, while she wore one dance slipper and one bare foot. The...