BR 1-12: Thumbelina

Main character is Thumbelina.
Once, there was a woman who wanted a child. Then she went to a fairy for help. "Here is a magic seed," said the fairy. The woman took care of a magic seed always. The seed grew into a beautiful red-gold flower. Inside was a tiny girl, no bigger than a thumb. The woman called tiny girl Thumbelina. When Thumbelina felt lonely, she sang to herself. One night, a large, lumpy toad crept through the open window... She snatched Thumbelina as she slept. "What a pretty wife you will make for my son," she croaked. Her son grinned and gazed at Thumbelina, happily. When she got up, she is on a water lily in the middle of the stream. She will never escape. "Meet your future husband," said mother Toad. "But I do not want to marry a toad," Thumbelina sobbed. Then the fished in the stream heard her cries. The toads left for food and the fish swam closer. They nibbled and nibbled at the water lily. And it was swished away by the stream. Thumbelina floated for days, past villages and wide green fields. But, all the time, a big brown beetle was watching her. He swooped down and grabbed her in his claws. The beetles introduced her to the beetle's friend. But they said "She's ugly. Take her away!" So the beetle dropped her in a field. For tiny Thumbelina, the field was like a forest. There she lived, all summer. Then winter came. Thumbelina shivered with cold. "What are you doing out here?" asked a field mouse. She took Thumbelina back to her snug little home. "We'll have a visitor soon," said the field mouse. "He's a rich and clever mole." When the mole came, he talked about his life underground. Thumbelina went with him down a dark tunnel. In the middle of the tunnel lay a bird. He had fallen through a hole in the roof. Mole said he died. If swallows do not fly away for winter, they die of cold. That night, Thumbelina crept back to the swallow. She covered him with a carpet of hay. Thumbelina sang for him. Then she heard a "Thump! Thump! Thump!” He's not dead. He's frozen. The next night, Thumbelina crept back to see the bird again. His eyes were open, but he was very weak. She takes care of him. By springtime, when the sun warmed the earth, the swallow was well again. He can fly away. So the swallow flew up out of the tunnel and soared into the sky, alone. Thumbelina missed the swallows. "Cheer up!" said the field mouse. "I have exciting news. Mole wants to marry you." "But I do not want to marry Mole," said Thumbelina. The field mouse is at a loss. She went to say goodbye to the sky one last time. Then she looked up and saw the swallow. "Cold winter is coming again," he said. "Come with me to warmer countries." She followed him. They came to a blue lake. A tiny man stood in the flower. He had a gold crown and pale butterfly wings. He took off his crown and gave it to Thumbelina. "Will you stay with me and be Queen of the Flowers?" he asked. "Yes," said Thumbelina, happy at last.
This story is very famous. Do you know? I like this story. Thumbelina is very cute. I want to read it again :D



(Reference)
Andersen, H.C. (2008). Thumbelina. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd.


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