Thumbelina

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A short time before he had dug a long passage through the ground from his own house to that of his neighbor; in this he gave the field-mouse and Thumbelina permission to walk as often as they liked. A great cockchafer came flying past; he caught sight of Thumbelina, and in a moment had put his arms round her slender waist, and had flown off with her to a tree. A great white marble pillar lay there which had fallen to the ground and broken into three pieces; but between these grew the most beautiful big white flowers. There she sat and wept, because she was so ugly that the cockchafer would have nothing to do with her; and yet she was the most beautiful creature imaginable, so soft and delicate, like the loveliest rose-leaf. Stories included: The Princess and the Pea The Brave Tin Soldier Thumbelina The Ugly Duckling The Nightingale The Little Mermaid.

Tales of Hans Christian Andersen - Logo of the BBC Tales of Hans Christian Andersen - Logo of the BBC

But especially was she sorry for the beautiful white butterfly which she had fastened to the leaf, for if he could not free himself he would die of hunger. But the bird was not dead: he had been frozen, but now that she had warmed him, he was coming to life again.She felt dreadfully cold, for her clothes were torn, and she was herself so frail and delicate that she was nearly frozen to death. She wrapped herself in a dry leaf, but it cracked in the middle and could not keep her warm, and she shivered with cold. It began to snow, too; and the snowflakes, as they fell upon her, were like a whole shovelful falling upon one of us, for we are tall, but she was only an inch high.

Thumbelina Summary | Book Reports Thumbelina Summary | Book Reports

The field-mouse told her how rich and how wise he was, and how his house was more than twenty times larger than hers, that he had learning, but that he did not like the sun and beautiful flowers, and sneered at them, for he had never seen them.

and other songs so prettily that the mole fell in love with her; but he did not say anything, he was a very cautious man. Then the swallow flew high up into the air over forest and sea, high up over the great mountains, where the snow always lies; and Thumbelina froze in the cold air, but then she crept under the bird’s warm feathers, and only stuck out her little head to see all the beauty beneath her. Yes, I will go with you,” said Thumbelina; and she seated herself on the bird’s back, with her feet on his outstretched wings, and tied her girdle to one of his strongest feathers. Tales From Hans Andersen | The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes, and The Swineherd. We shall have a visitor soon,” said the field mouse one day; “my neighbor pays me a visit once a week.

The Smallest Tall Tale - The New York Times The Smallest Tall Tale - The New York Times

Here she slept at night, but during the day she amused herself on a table, where the peasant wife had placed a plate full of water. One night, while she lay in her pretty bed, a large, ugly, wet toad crept through a broken pane of glass in the window and leaped right upon the table where she lay sleeping under her rose-leaf quilt. The corn which was sown in the field over the house of the field-mouse had grown high into the air; it was quite a thick wood for the poor little girl, who was only an inch in height. She was very ugly, clumsy, and clammy; she hopped on to the table where Thumbelina lay asleep under the red rose-leaf. Farewell, bright sun,” she cried, stretching out her arm towards it; and then she walked a short distance from the house, for the corn had been cut, and only the dry stubble remained in the fields.So the toad took up the elegant little bed and swam away with it, leaving Thumbelina all alone on the green leaf, where she sat and wept.

Thumbelina, First Edition - AbeBooks Thumbelina, First Edition - AbeBooks

At last he had fallen to the earth, and could remember nothing more, nor how he came to be where she had found him. She wrapt herself round in a dead leaf, but it was torn in the middle and gave her no warmth; she was trembling with cold. A short time before he had dug a long passage through the earth from his own house to theirs; and Thumbelina and the field-mouse had leave to walk there as much as they wished. Farewell, then, farewell, you good, pretty little maiden,” said the swallow, and he flew out into the sunshine. Thumbelina was obliged to sing to him, “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,” and many other pretty songs.The little fishes swimming in the water below had seen the toad, and they had heard what she said; and so they lifted up their heads out of the water, for they wanted to see the little girl. Thumbelina said nothing, but when the two others had turned their backs upon the bird, she stooped down and stroked aside the soft feathers which covered his head, and kissed the closed eyelids.