Princess Tales

Thumbelina

ThumbelinaShort tale: Thumbelina

Once upon a time there was a married couple. They really wanted to have a baby, but for them it just wasn’t possible.

One day, the wife went to see the old witch and told her that she wanted a baby.

It is not sad dear child, when there is a wish there is a way.

Take this seed, plant it in a pot and wait. And you will see that you will be surprised.

The wife was so happy that she thanked him very much, in return for her incredible favor she gave some money to the witch.

Later, she went straight home and planted the seed in a pot, with great patience she began to wait near the pot. Soon after, a large flower resembling a tulip began to bloom. Just then she said to herself Oh, what a beautiful flower!

And with its petals still closed she walked over and kissed it. Soon after, the petals began to open.

In the flower sat a little girl. With great confusion the lady took the little girl in her hand.

What a little girl you are. Your name should be Thumbelina.

The lady made Thumbelina’s cradle out of a walnut shell. Her mattress with violet leaves and her sheet of rose petals. Thumbelina managed to adapt to her new life with ease.

At night, she slept in her custom-made bed and during the day she played on the table and sang songs.

One night, while Thumbelina was sleeping in her bed, an ugly frog appeared through the window.

He saw the little girl sleeping in a nutshell.

My goodness, what a beautiful little girl you are, you could be a great friend to my son.

As fast as he could, the frog took the nutshell and went out the window. Very close to the house was a swamp. The house where the ugly frog and his son lived was there. The ugly frog’s son was as ugly as his father. When he saw the little girl his father had brought him, he croaked at the top of his lungs.

Rivic, Rivic.

Stop croaking. You’re going to wake up the little girl, if she wakes up, she’ll run away in fear.

The father and son decided to make a place for the child to stay. The ugly frog had a great idea.

Let’s leave the little girl in one of the lilies in the stream, being surrounded by all that water, it will be impossible for her to escape.

The frog took Thumbelina with her cradle and placed her in one of the lilies. In the morning, in the bright sunlight, Thumbelina woke up. When she realized that she was not at home and saw that she was surrounded by water, she began to cry in fear.

The frog and his son approached Thumbelina.

This is your new friend. I am preparing a beautiful new home for you in the deep waters of the swamp.

The frog and his son took Thumbelina’s cradle made of walnut shells and swam away, leaving her alone on the lotus leaf. At that instant some red fish swimming around heard what the ugly frog was saying. They could not tolerate that an ugly swamp frog was bothering such a beautiful girl like Thumbelina.

Don’t worry, little girl, we’re going to save you!

All together they chewed the stem of the leaf where she was sitting and broke it. Soon after, the leaf got caught with the current and advanced far away, managing to escape. As it moved along with the current on its green leaf, all the birds watched it with great admiration.

How beautiful and small it is!

On her way she passed by a rather large bumblebee, the bumblebee picked her up as fast as it could and landed in a tree.

Finding herself on a tree, Thumbelina was very frightened.

What kind of bug are you and why did you bring me here?

I am a bumblebee and I have never seen an insect like you before, so I want my friends to see you.

Later, all the other bumblebees, sitting on the same tree, came to see Thumbelina, trying not to squeeze him, all the bumblebees were jealous of his incredible beauty.

-Ha, ha, ha, ha, you are a funny creature.

-How miserable, she doesn’t even have wings.

-Ugly, you can hardly look in the face.

-You’re free to go wherever you want, we don’t want something so ugly anywhere near us.

Thumbelina spent the whole summer alone, satisfying her hunger and thirst, drinking the water from the flowers.

A long time passed and the weather began to change, as she was only wearing summer clothes, she was cold. A field appeared in the distance. The field was covered with straw.

After a long way, Thumbelina reached the field.

Under the straw, she found the house of a Field Rat. Hoping to find some food, Thumbelina knocked on his door to ask for some barley. The kindly Field Rat let her in. She came in instantly and ate all the food the Field Rat offered her. The Field Rat really liked Thumbelina.

If you tell me a story every day, I will let you stay with me until the end of winter.

With great satisfaction, Thumbelina accepted his offer.

Today my neighbor will come, he is in better condition than I am. If you go with him, you will be more comfortable, but keep in mind that he has very bad eyesight. You will need to tell him your best stories and keep him constantly busy.

A little later, with his velvet fur and sword, a Mole appeared. Thumbelina didn’t like the Mole very much, but she didn’t want to disappoint him either, so she agreed to sing him a song.

-Fly, fly Caterina, the wedding will be tomorrow, mother will buy you new shoes and clothes.

Despite his poor eyesight, the Mole liked Thumbelina very much and decided to take her home.

I managed to get here by digging a hole and digging a tunnel. If you like, we can go this way together to show you my house.

Thumbelina hesitated to go, seeing that the Rat agreed. Thumbelina accepted his proposal and they set off on their way.

On the way they saw a Swallow lying on the ground, with his wings on one side and his head and feet tucked under his feathers.

This bird was not here when I passed by earlier, it must have fallen down the hole.

Thumbelina remembered the birds in the forest as they sang about her and could not tolerate seeing one of them in this state. It was very sad on the back of the Field Rat and the Mole. She walked over to the Swallow and kissed her.

This Swallow may have been one of the birds that camped in the summer. If so, then I am indebted to her.

Come on Thumbelina! We are waiting for you, said the Rat.

She could not sleep that night. He wove a quilt with the straw. She went back to the tunnel and covered the Swallow, wet the mint leaf she used as a quilt and placed it over her head.

Please get well soon little Swallow.

The next day, Thumbelina went to see the Swallow and saw that her eyes were open.

I don’t know how to thank you, you took such good care of me. Now I will recover right away. Once I am fully recovered, I will be able to go with my friends to warmer countries.

It is very cold outside. You should rest in your warm bed to recover right away.

After Thumbelina finished giving advice to the Swallow, she drew water with the help of a flower petal and helped her drink it. Later, the bird told her how it broke its wing when it crashed into the bushes. The injured Swallow was not as fast as her friends, she was tired and so she fell.

Finally, spring came and the sun began to warm the earth once again. The Swallow knew it was time to say goodbye to Thumbelina.

Would you like to come to the forest with me?

I would like to go with you, but my friend the Field Rat would be very sad, I can’t leave her.

In that case, goodbye Thumbelina, maybe someday we’ll meet again.

With teary eyes, Thumbelina watched the Swallow fly away.

With summer ahead, different worries overwhelmed Thumbelina.

It’s summer already, now that Velvety Mole wants to marry you, we should look for some beautiful clothes together.

When winter comes, get ready to live with me under the ground Thumbelina.

Before starting her life below ground, where it was cold and dark, Thumbelina went out for the last time to see the sun. Just as she was about to go inside, she heard a bird overhead.

When she turned her head to look, she saw her most beloved Swallow. Thumbelina told the Swallow that she was forced to marry the Mole and that she had to live below ground, where there was no sunlight.

Winter is almost here. We are getting ready to go to warmer countries. Please come with us.

You saved my life. I would like to return the favor.

This time Thumbelina accepted Swallow’s proposal and they set off on their journey. Thumbelina and the Swallow flew over forests, seas and snow-covered mountains. Later, the two friends arrived in warmer countries visiting incredible places. The sun was shining and the sky was bright.

This is my home, choose the best flower for yourself. This is beautiful, said Thumbelina.

The Swallow placed Thumbelina in a beautiful flower. Among all this beauty, Thumbelina was very happy. Sitting on her flower and looking closely, she was mesmerized. In the flower sat a small man, as bright as crystal. This man was the Fairy of this flower, for each flower had its own fairy.

He was as tall as a finger, had sparkles on his shoulders and a golden crown on his head.

It was the first time the Fairy had ever seen a beautiful girl, the same size as him.

What is your name beautiful girl?

My name is Thumbelina.

The Fairy took the crown off her head and placed it on Thumbelina’s head.

If you marry me, you will be the queen among all these flowers. You will live a happy life.

After having lived through so much cruelty and being in such beautiful surroundings. Thumbelina was very happy to hear such a great proposal from such a handsome fairy. The fairy held Thumbelina’s hand and just then two wings appeared on Thumbelina’s shoulders.

Thumbelina was now the queen of the fairies and together they lived a long and happy life.

END

Source: Spanish fairy tales

Story reflection: This story offers a reflection on the importance of being brave, having hope and finding creative solutions to difficult situations. Despite the obstacles and dangers that Thumbelina encounters on her way, she adapts and looks for ways to escape and find her way back home.

In addition, the story also highlights the importance of friendship and how the good deeds of the red fish and the bumblebee helped Thumbelina find her way. Overall, the story teaches us to persevere in difficult times and look for creative solutions to overcome obstacles.

Frequently asked questions about the story Thumbelina

¿Whose fairy tale is Thumbelina?

The fairy tale Thumbelina is a fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen.

¿Where does Thumbelina come from?

Thumbelina was born from a flower, after a married couple asked the fairy to grant them a child.

¿What is the main conflict of the story Thumbelina?

The main conflict of the fairy tale Thumbelina is that she is kidnapped by various characters, such as a frog and a beetle, and has to escape from them to find her true home.

¿What does Thumbelina learn during her journey in the story?

Thumbelina learns about friendship, bravery, and the importance of persevering despite the odds during her journey in the story.

¿What is the moral of the story Thumbelina?

The moral of the story Thumbelina is that no matter how small or weak you may seem, you can achieve great things if you have courage and perseverance.

How much do they know about the story Thumbelina

It's time to test your children's knowledge of the story Thumbelina. We will prepare a questionnaire of questions for your children.

  • What is the name of the story?
  • What characters appeared in the story?
  • Who was the main character in the story?
  • What was your favorite part of the story?
  • Where did the story take place?
  • Can you invent another ending for the story?

Short and Princess stories you may also be interested in!

Dreamy stories, adventure stories, dragons, princes, princesses and many more!

Mulan (Disney Princess)

Mulan (Disney Princess)

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story! Many years ago, in ancient China, there lived a beautiful young girl named Mulan. She lived with her parents and her dog, whom...

Read more
The Princess and the 11 Wild Swans

The Princess and the 11 Wild Swans

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story! Once upon a time in a faraway land there lived a king with eleven sons and one daughter. When his wife passed away...

Read more
Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story! Once upon a time, in a hut near the forest lived a woodcutter with his wife and two children: Hansel and Gretel. The...

Read more
The Princess Long Curls

The Princess Long Curls

The story goes that a long time ago, there lived in a faraway kingdom a king and queen, who decided to pamper and spoil their daughter (The Princess Long...

Read more
¡In the water, Duckling!

¡In the water, Duckling!

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story! Once upon a time there was a small, beautiful, smart, yellow duckling who liked to play, run, sing, jump and swim. But he...

Read more
The Prince and Princess Rose

The Prince and Princess Rose

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story! Once upon a time there was a beautiful queen who lived in a beautiful kingdom. She was happy, but she had no children....

Read more
Menu