Dirk Drosselmeier

Dirk Drosselmeier is a German toy maker and the inventor of the nutcracker. As a boy, he lives in an isolated cabin, which he calls the waldhütte, in Bavaria with an old man and old woman. He knows nothing about his parents. One day, the old man takes young Dirk out into the forest to teach him how to be a woodcutter and the tree Dirk cuts down falls on him, causing Dirk to die. Immediately after this incident, Dirk encounters a talking thrush and gnome creature. This experience leads to Dirk having several encounters with mythical creatures resembling Pythia and Pan throughout his life. After his brush with death, Dirk wakes up in his childhood home. He flees the old man and old woman’s house after overhearing them discussing their intent to get rid of him.

Dirk travels a lot throughout his life. After...