Thumbelina
A girl no bigger than a thumb is born in a tulip, then carried off by a toad, a cockchafer and a long, cold winter. She saves a frozen swallow, and in the end he flies her to the warm countries, where the king of the flowers names her Maia.
Scene 1: Born in a Tulip
Thumbelina. A woman wished for a little child, so a fairy gave her a barleycorn to plant. Up grew a flower like a tulip, its red and golden petals tightly closed. The woman kissed the petals, and the flower opened. Inside sat a tiny girl, no bigger than a thumb. So they called her Thumbelina.
Scene 2: The Toad
One night, a big wet toad hopped in through a broken window. She croaked: “What a pretty little wife for my son!” She carried Thumbelina away, asleep in her walnut-shell bed, and left her on a lily leaf in the stream.
Scene 3: Down the Stream
Thumbelina woke and cried, for there was water all around. The little fishes felt sorry for her, so they nibbled through the stalk of the leaf. Away she floated. She tied her sash to a white butterfly, and he pulled her leaf along.
Scene 4: The Cockchafer
Then a big cockchafer grabbed her and flew up into a tree. The other cockchafers turned up their feelers and said: “She has only two legs! How ugly that looks.” So he set her down on a daisy, and all summer she lived alone in the wood.
Scene 5: The Long, Cold Winter
Then came the long, cold winter. Each snowflake was like a whole shovelful to her. Shivering, she came to the door of a field mouse, who said: “You poor little creature, come into my warm room and dine with me.”
Scene 6: The Swallow
The Mole next door wore a black velvet coat, and he did not like the sun. In his dark tunnel lay a swallow, so cold and still that everyone thought he was dead. That night, Thumbelina covered him with hay and laid her head on his feathers. Thump, thump! His heart was beating. All winter, she cared for him in secret.
Scene 7: Fly Away with Me
In spring, the swallow flew away. Then the Field Mouse said Thumbelina must marry the Mole and live under the earth. She went out, stretched her arm toward the sky, and cried: “Farewell, bright sun!” “Tweet, tweet!” It was her swallow! He said: “Fly now with me, dear little Thumbelina. You saved my life.” So she rode on his back, over forests, sea and snowy mountains.
Scene 8: Maia
In the warm countries, the swallow set her down on a big white flower. In the middle stood a tiny prince with a gold crown, the king of all the flowers. He put his crown on her head and asked her to be his queen. Thumbelina said yes. The flower people gave her wings, and the King said: “You must not be called Thumbelina any more. We will call you Maia.” Kindness is never wasted.
Moral: Kindness is never wasted.
Questions about Thumbelina
Where was Thumbelina when the flower opened?
Inside a red and golden tulip.
Who carried Thumbelina away in her walnut-shell bed?
A big wet toad.
Who nibbled through the stalk of the lily leaf?
The little fishes.
What did Thumbelina do for the cold swallow in the tunnel?
She covered him with hay and cared for him.
What new name did the Flower King give Thumbelina?
Maia.
More stories to read aloud
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears — While the Three Bears take a walk until their porridge cools, a little girl called Goldilocks walks into their house and tries their porridge, chairs and beds.
- Hansel and Gretel — Left in the forest, Hansel and Gretel find their way home by moonlit white pebbles, but the next time birds eat their breadcrumbs and they come to a house of bread and cake.
- Henny Penny — An acorn falls on Henny-penny's head, and she is sure the sky is falling, so she sets off to tell the king with Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey.