Danish Fairytale

Thumbelina

Thumbelina is a Danish fairytale; the story was adopted from a tradition story called ‘Tom Thumb’, both the tales begin with a childless woman consulting a supernatural being about getting a child. The moral of this story is follow your heart.

In the story Thumbelina it tells the story of an old woman who has been longing for a child so desperation she goes to a witch; she receives a magic barley seed which the witch tells her to go home and plant it in soil and keep watering it. Once planted the seed and kept watering it; a beautiful flower began to grow and from the flower emerged a tiny girl. The old woman was delighted and as the tiny girl was only up to her thumb, the old woman named her Thumbelina... just before Thumbelina was about to sleep the old woman decided to read Thumbelina a bedtime story, Thumbelina was overjoyed and asked to be read a story about small people, (people her size). After her mother finished reading the story Thumbelina requested for her mother (the old woman), to leave the book open because she wanted to fall asleep whilst looking at it so her mother did. Thumbelina stood up when her mother had left and began sing and dance about her going to marry the prince in the book one day.

Meanwhile it was autumn and fairies began the changing of colour of the leaves however the prince of the fairy wondered off and came across Thumbelina dancing and singing, he loved the way she sounded and thought she sang beautiful; he wanted to get a closer look of who she was so he sneaked through the window. When Thumbelina was not looking he cut part of the page and said “may I cut I”; Thumbelina screamed out of shock and hide the tea pot, the prince apologised and told her not to be scared, that she should come out, he would not hurt her and she did. She began saying “your one of them”, pointing at the picture in the book of the fairies, “I thought I was the only one my size in the world”. The prince and Thumbelina began getting to know each other and then the prince invited Thumbelina to from a ride in his bumble-bee; when they were flying they began singing and everyone admired them especially the toads. After they had finish the prince dropped her back to her house and told that he would like for her to meet his family and she agreed. He had to leave because he was holding his everyone up but before he left he exchanged his ring with her necklace so they would forget each other and told her he would be back for her in the morning.

Thumbelina is asleep in her walnut-shell cradle, happily thinking about the prince coming back the next day when the toad woman sneaked in her room through the window and carried off to her home because she wanted Thumbelina as a bride for her son. However with some help of friendly fish and a bird, Thumbelina escapes the toad and her son, and drifts on a lily pad until captured by a beetle who discards her when his friends reject her company. When the prince returned to her room the next morning, he found it in a state and saw Thumbelina’s mother crying; the prince asked the dog what had happened then he rushed out in search of Thumbelina. The toad had made up plan and captured the prince... they thought he was died as he was frozen. Thumbelina tried to protect herself from snow as it was becoming very cold because winter was approaching; she desperate so found shelter in an old shoe. She was finally given shelter by a field mouse and tends the mouse's house in return. The mouse suggests Thumbelina marry her neighbour, Mr mole as he was very rich and he would take care of her.

Some friendly animals found were the prince and made a fire and melted him then told him where Thumbelina. It was the wedding day Thumbelina was just about to marry the Mole when she had a change of heart; she remembered the promise her and the prince made and ran away. Everyone started running after her including the Toad’s son. The prince appeared and started fighting the toad and they both fell into a deep whole. Thumbelina began climbing and got out and went the bird who told her he knew where the prince’s him was; Thumbelina tried to tell him that the prince was died but he wouldn’t listen and just put her on his back took her to the place. When they got there she didn’t believe it and told him to take her home. The bird replied by telling her to sing and waits to see what happens. Soon later the prince appeared and started singing with her and fairy land came alive. The prince asked Thumbelina to marry him and says yes then she gets wings; they have big wedding with Thumbelina’s mother attends and they live happily ever after.