Thumbelina (Learn English with Stories)

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was very sad because she did not have any children. One day, she planted a magical seed. That night, the seed grew into a flowering plant.

“What a beautiful flower,” said the woman as she kissed the petals. At that moment, the flower opened. Inside the flower sat a tiny girl.

The girl was no bigger than a thumb. The woman named her Thumbelina.

At night, Thumbelina slept in a polished walnut shell.

One night, a mother toad came and took Thumbelina away.

The mother toad wanted Thumbelina to marry her son.

The mother toad and her son placed Thumbelina on a water lily leaf in the river. Then they set off to plan the wedding.

Thumbelina was very sad. She began to cry.

A fish heard Thumbelina’s sobs. It nibbled on the stem of the lily pad until the leaf broke free. Thumbelina floated down the river.

Summer disappeared, and winter came. Thumbelina was cold.

A field mouse took pity on her. “My dear, you must come home with me,” the field mouse said.

Thumbelina spent the rest of the winter in the mouse’s snug burrow. They became good friends.

In a burrow nearby lived Mr. Mole. He liked to visit in the evening and hear Thumbelina sing

One evening, while visiting Mr. Mole, Thumbelina found a swallow. The bird was cold and hurt.

Thumbelina cared for the swallow and brought him food every day.

Mr. Mole had fallen in love with Thumbelina. He wanted to marry her.

Thumbelina did not want to marry Mr. Mole. Once again, she was very unhappy

One day, the swallow that Thumbelina had cared for came to help her escape.

Together, they flew south to warmer lands.

In a new land filled with flowers, Thumbelina met a king. He was tiny, too!

Thumbelina became the queen. She and the king lived happily ever after.