There was once a woman who was very lonely and decided to go visit her friend the fairy
hello dear what brings you here
hello fairy I'm so lonely I wish i had a little daughter
even if she was a teeny-weeny one
well you are a dear friend so I will help you
take this grain of barley and go home and plant it in a flowerpot
but I want a little girl what will I do with a grain of barley
trust me and do as I say you will receive a very pleasant surprise
the woman went home and planted the grain of barley like the fairy told her to
the next morning she was amazed to see that the grain had grown into a beautiful flower
resembling Sheila with its soft petals still shut tight
this is so beautiful I have never seen anything like it
the woman held the flower tenderly and kissed it immediately the petals opened
and there lay a beautiful tiny girl
oh my god she's so pretty and dainty I shall call her Thumbelina
and I must thank my friend the fairy for such a lovely gift
the woman gently lifted the little girl from the flower
ah now let me see how I can make her comfortable
this walnut shell shall be her bed
and I think these flower petals can be used as a mattress and blanket
the woman placed Thumbelina on a tulip castle floating on a plate during the day
how happy Thumbelina was
she drifted around on our little lake singing in the most sweet voice ever
one night when Thumbelina was fast asleep in her tiny walnut shell
a horrible-looking frog saw her
who is this tiny thing she's so pretty
I think she will make a fine bride for my dear toady
and a very good daughter-in-law for me
the frog hopped inside and carried away the sleeping Thumbelina to the pond
oh where are you I am so hungry
stop complaining all the time look what I have brought for you
this beautiful creature will be the perfect bride for you
yes yes I know you are very excited
now we have to make a nice bridal room in the marsh so that you can marry her and stay there with her
the croaking noise woke up Thumbelina
she looked around feeling very scared on seeing the frog and toad
she is awake she's awake my bride is awake
bride of this ugly looking creature
never his eyes look like they will pop out at any minute
how dare you, you will marry my son and be a good and obedient wife
I will make sure you can never escape from here
the frog put Thumbelina on the leaf of the water lily in the middle of a pond
Thumbelina sobbed and cried out for help
help, help someone please help me
some fish swimming nearby had seen and heard everything
look at that poor dear sobbing her heart out
that horrible toad will make an awful husband
friends we must not allow the nasty frog and her ugly son to get away with their horrible plan
come let us nibble at the root of this lily and set it free
and say they nibbled nibbled nibbled till the leaf of the lily was free and floated away
Thumbelina sail passed many beautiful places and so many pretty summits
one day a big cock Schaefer saw her and carried her away to a large tree
he was very proud of her and invited all his friends to come and have a look at her
she looks so weird
she's actually ugly it's just not one of us so how can you even think of marrying her
are you out of your mind
when all his friends said the same thing the cock Schaefer thought they might be right
so he put Thumbelina on the ground and flew away
poor Thumbelina, she walked and walked in the wood
eating whatever she could find and drinking the dew of flowers
summer turned to autumn and soon the bitter cold winter arrived
it's getting so cold unless I find somewhere to take shelter I will surely freeze to death
as Thumbelina was walking in a field she suddenly came across a tiny door
ahh i think this must be the house of field mouse
I hope this kind mouse will give me something to eat and let me sleep for some time
Thumbelina knocked on the door
and very soon it was opened by a mouse
I'm very hungry could you please give me something to eat
what are you doing out in the cold come in and warm yourself near the fire
you can share my dinner I have some hot soup and cheese and bread
thank you so much you are so kind
soon Thumbelina head eating a nice meal prepared by the mouse and feeling tired
she just wanted to sleep for sometime
your house is so warm and cozy may I sleep here tonight
I'm really tired after walking for so long
well if you have nowhere to go you can certainly rest here in fact if you can keep my house neat and clean
you can stay here for the whole winter, can you do that?
of course thank you so much
so Thumbelina spent the winter with the mouse
one day the mouse said to Thumbelina
please clean the house very well as i have a dear friend visiting me tomorrow
friend is it another Mouse? No no it's my good friend the mole
oh he's so rich he has such a large home you know what I have a great idea
if you could sing sweetly for my friend and tell him some nice stories he might even marry you
even though he is blind he will look after you well and all your worries will be over
when the mole came to visit he fell in love with Thumbelina's beautiful voice and asks to marry her
I'm so happy I'm sure you both will make a wonderful couple let us start making preparations for a summer wedding
as the mole was leaving the hole leading to the mouse's house
he kicked a sparrow lying
don't kick the poor little thing can't you see it's hurt
where did this piece of filth come from these pesky things keep flying all over and don't bother to make home for winter
the sparrow deserves to die
Thumbelina was shocked at the mole's behavior. she can't imagine how anyone could be so cruel.
you poor birdie I will nurse you back to health
though the mouse got angry Thumbelina cared very lovingly for the sparrow till it was strong enough to fly away
as her wedding day was coming closer and closer
i can't marry that mole i would rather die not only is he stupid and ugly he is a total savage
and I can't imagine living all my life in a hole
I want to be out in the Sun breathe the fresh air and see all the lovely flowers and birds
I have to escape from the mouse and the mole
suddenly Thumbelina heard a sound and looked up to see the sparrow she looked after
my dear, you are gentle and kind soul that horrible mole does not deserve you
winter is soon going to come and I'm flying away to a warm land
why don't you just hop onto my back and come with me
I will take you far away from the mole and the mouse
thank you, thank you so much to you friend I have to escape from here
so Thumbelina jumped onto the sparrow's back and away away away they flew to the beautiful land of flowers
weee this is so wonderful the sparrow very gently put Thumbelina on the petal of a large yellow flower
Thumbelina was tired after a long journey and immediately fell asleep
the sparrow sat on the tree above looking after her
a little later she woke up to the sound of a very gentle voice
who is this pretty maiden I have never seen her here before
Thumbelina got scared on seeing the stranger
oh don't be afraid I am the king of flowers I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you
will you be my queen?
suddenly Thumbelina's friend the sparrow flew down. Thumbelina, Thumbelina this is the king of flowers
he is a very very kind man and everyone here loves him I know
so my dear what do you say will you be my wife
the king was so kind and handsome how could Thumbelina refuse
and so she married the king and became the queen of flowers living happily ever after