Thumbelina

Once upon a time, in a cozy village, there lived a kind and gentle woman who wished for a child. Though her garden bloomed with flowers and birds sang at her window, her house felt empty. One day, she visited a wise old witch and said, “I would give anything to have a child, even if she were as small as my thumb.”

The witch smiled kindly and gave her a tiny seed. “Plant this in your best flowerpot,” she said. “What you wish for will grow.”

The woman did as she was told. She watered the seed every day, watching with excitement as it sprouted into a golden tulip. One morning, as the petals unfolded, she gasped with joy. Inside the flower sat a tiny girl, no bigger than her thumb, with a radiant smile. “I will call you Thumbelina,” said the woman.

Thumbelina’s days were filled with happiness. She floated on lily pads in a bowl of water, sang songs that even the birds paused to hear, and slept snugly in a walnut shell lined with petals. But one fateful night, a greedy toad hopped into the house.

“A perfect wife for my son!” the toad croaked, snatching Thumbelina while she slept. When Thumbelina awoke, she found herself stranded on a lily pad in a murky pond, surrounded by water lilies. The toad croaked, “You’ll marry my son tomorrow!”

Thumbelina wept, her tiny shoulders shaking. “I don’t want to marry a toad,” she cried softly. Her cries reached the ears of some friendly fish, who swam up and said, “We’ll help you!” With their small teeth, they nibbled through the stem of the lily pad.

Thumbelina’s lily pad drifted away, carried by the stream. She waved at the fish, thanking them through her tears. Her sadness turned to amazement as she floated past blooming flowers, darting dragonflies, and sparkling water.

A colorful butterfly landed on her lily pad, and Thumbelina tied her sash to its body like reins. “Thank you, dear butterfly!” she said. With the butterfly guiding her, she felt hope blossom in her heart.

But her joy was short-lived. A large beetle swooped down and grabbed her. “What an odd creature!” he buzzed, carrying her to his tree. There, other beetles gathered around to examine her. “She’s too strange,” they said, turning their backs on her.

Feeling rejected, the beetle let Thumbelina go. She climbed down from the tree and wandered through the forest, alone and frightened. The days grew shorter, the air colder. Autumn leaves crunched under her tiny feet, and she shivered as winter arrived.

One snowy day, Thumbelina stumbled upon a cozy burrow. A kind field mouse welcomed her in. “You poor thing, come warm yourself,” the mouse said, offering her seeds and grains. Thumbelina stayed through the winter, helping the mouse with chores. She sang songs that brought light into the burrow’s dim corners.

The mouse soon introduced her to a wealthy mole who lived in dark tunnels underground. “The mole is a fine gentleman,” said the mouse. “You should marry him and live in comfort.” But Thumbelina didn’t want to live underground. She missed the sunlight, the flowers, and the songs of birds.

One day, while exploring the mole’s tunnels, Thumbelina discovered an injured swallow lying motionless. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, wrapping the bird in her shawl. She cared for the swallow, bringing it food and keeping it warm. Slowly, the bird regained its strength.

When spring arrived, the swallow said, “Thank you for saving me. Let me take you somewhere beautiful.” Thumbelina climbed onto the bird’s back, holding tight as it soared into the sky.

They flew over forests, rivers, and fields, until they reached a magical land filled with flowers. Thumbelina gasped at the sight of blossoms taller than her, their petals shimmering in the sunlight. In this enchanted garden, she met a prince no bigger than herself.

The prince wore a crown of petals and lived among the flowers. He was kind and gentle, and he fell in love with Thumbelina’s brave and compassionate heart. They were married in a celebration filled with music and laughter, surrounded by the flower people.

The prince gifted Thumbelina wings, so she could fly beside him and explore their beautiful world. At last, Thumbelina found her true home, a place where she belonged, surrounded by love, light, and beauty.