Thumbelina

Once upon a time, in a magical world, there lived a tiny girl named Thumbelina. She was no bigger than your thumb, with eyes as blue as forget-me-nots, and hair as golden as the summer sun. Thumbelina's story is filled with magic, adventure, and extraordinary things, and it all began with a special seed.

One day, a kind old woman who loved planting flowers was given a magical seed by a fairy. The fairy told her that if she planted it with love, something amazing would grow.

The old woman planted the seed in a small pot, watered it carefully, and sang lullabies to it every night. In just a few days, a beautiful flower bloomed, unlike any the old woman had seen before. It had petals as soft as silk and a sweet smell that filled the air.

As the old woman admired the flower, she saw a tiny girl, no taller than her thumb, emerging from its petals. The old woman named her Thumbelina because she was so small.

Thumbelina made her home among the flower petals. She spent her days tending to them and exploring the tiny world around her. She made friends with insects and slept in beds made of rose petals at night.

One night, while Thumbelina was sleeping in her petal bed, she heard voices of field mice who had found her flower. They were happy to see such a delicate and beautiful girl and decided to take her to their cozy mouse hole.

Thumbelina, being kind and loving adventure, agreed to go with them. The mice gave her a small bed and a leaf for a blanket. They shared their food and stories with her, and she became part of their mouse family.

When winter came, Thumbelina's tiny world became colder and more difficult. She wore a tulip petal as a coat to stay warm and helped with chores. But even with these challenges, she was loved and cared for by her mouse family.

One day, while gathering crumbs from the kitchen, Thumbelina heard a sad voice coming from the cold ground covered in snow. She followed the voice and found a small, injured bird. The bird couldn't fly and was almost freezing.

With great kindness, Thumbelina brought the bird inside and cared for it until it got better. They became fast friends, sharing stories and dreams.

The bird wanted to fly again, and Thumbelina dreamed of exploring beyond the mouse hole. Together, they planned to help each other. When spring arrived, the bird's wing was strong enough to fly again, and Thumbelina said a tearful goodbye as it flew away.

Now alone, Thumbelina felt a stronger desire for adventure every day. One night, as she sat by the window looking at the moon, she heard a beautiful song sung by frogs who lived nearby.

Curious, Thumbelina decided to visit the frogs. They were delighted to see her and invited her to dance to their music. Thumbelina danced and felt the joy of the music in her heart.

The frogs introduced her to their king, a kind frog who was captivated by Thumbelina's beauty and grace. He asked her to marry him, but Thumbelina knew her heart belonged to the open skies and the wider world beyond.

One night, while getting ready for the wedding, Thumbelina heard a familiar chirping outside the window. It was her dear bird friend who had returned to visit. Thumbelina knew she couldn't marry the frog king and give up her dreams. With the bird's help, they made a plan to leave the frog kingdom.

In the quiet of the night, while the frogs slept, Thumbelina climbed onto the bird's back. With a powerful flap of its wings, they flew into the moonlit sky, leaving the frog kingdom far behind.

Thumbelina looked down at the world below as they flew over forests, meadows, and rivers. She felt like a true adventurer, and her heart was full of joy. The bird brought her to a beautiful garden where they gently landed among the flowers.

As she explored the garden, Thumbelina met a handsome young prince who was nearly her size. He, too, had been enchanted and brought to the garden by a fairy's spell. When they saw each other, they knew they had found true love.

The prince and Thumbelina were married in a beautiful ceremony surrounded by flowers and whispering leaves. They made their home in the garden, where they lived happily ever after, sharing their dreams and love.

And so, my dear child, that is the end of Thumbelina's story, a tale of magic, friendship, and following your dreams. Now, close your eyes and let your imagination take you into a world of enchantment. Goodnight, and may your dreams be as magical as Thumbelina's adventures.

The End!

Follow-up questions:

What was Thumbelina's magical adventure like?

• Encourage kids to recall the different parts of Thumbelina's journey, from living in a flower to meeting the field mice and the bird, and finally finding happiness in the garden.

Why did Thumbelina decide not to marry the frog king?

• Prompt children to think about Thumbelina's feelings and dreams. Discuss how she wanted to explore the world and follow her heart rather than settling down with the frog king.

If you were Thumbelina, what part of her adventure would you like to experience the most?

• Invite children to imagine themselves in Thumbelina's tiny shoes. Discuss which part of her story they found most exciting or interesting, and why they would like to experience it.