Hans Christian Andersen’s "Thumbelina" Summary

This fairy tale is the story of a diminutive girl forced to overcome harsh environmental and social obstacles to survive. Hans Christian Andersen published the work in 1835. The plot is entirely fictional; the story draws no inspiration from traditional folk tales, which significantly distinguishes it from the author’s earlier works.

A 1964 Soviet animated film directed by Leonid Amalrik became a popular film adaptation of the story. In 1994, animator Don Bluth released a successful American feature-length film.

Biological experiment and change of residence

A childless woman approached an old witch asking for help in having a child. The witch gave her a specific barley grain for twelve skillings, emphasizing that it was not intended for planting in a farmer’s field or feeding chickens. The woman planted the seed in a flowerpot. Soon, a large flower, visually reminiscent of a tulip, sprouted from the soil. After the woman kissed the colorful petals, the bud snapped open. Inside the cup, on a green stool, sat a living baby girl. The baby measured about 2.5 centimeters, so her mother named her "Thumbelina."

The girl’s living conditions were unique. A shiny, lacquered walnut shell served as her cradle, blue violets as her mattress, and a rose petal as her blanket. During the day, she played on the table, floating on a huge tulip petal in a bowl. Two white horsehairs served as oars. While sailing, the girl sang songs in an incredibly tender voice.

One night, a wet, ugly toad slipped into the room through a broken windowpane. The amphibian had decided to provide its son with a mate. The toad grabbed a nutshell containing a sleeping girl and leaped into the garden. The toads’ home was in the sticky mud by a wide river. The amphibian’s son was extremely unattractive and could only utter phrases like, "Coax, coax, brekke-ke-kex!" The old toad temporarily placed her captive on the farthest lily pad in the middle of the river. The girl was lighter than a swan’s down, but she couldn’t escape from such a distance.

In the morning, Thumbelina found herself isolated in the water and began to cry. The toad mother and son took the pretty bed to make a bedroom in the mud. The local small fish, observing the situation, showed empathy for the victim. They crowded around a stem and quickly gnawed it off with their teeth. The leaf with the girl began to drift with the current.

Isolation in the insect community

Thumbelina floated down the river, crossing foreign borders. Birds in the bushes sang songs of her beauty. A beautiful white butterfly began to accompany the boat and settled on a green leaf. The heroine used her belt to optimize her speed: she tied one end to the insect and the other to a water lily pad. The sun shone golden on the water.

A May bug flew past. The insect grabbed the girl around the waist with its paw and carried her up a tree. The green leaf continued down the river, carrying the tied-up moth, doomed to starve. The May bug gave the captive some sweet flower juice, expressing its affection for her appearance.

Soon, other tree inhabitants arrived. The lady beetles examined the new arrival and gave a negative verdict. The females criticized her lack of tentacles, her only two legs, and her excessively thin waist. Community pressure forced the May beetle to change its mind. The insect rejected Thumbelina, lowered her down, and placed her on a daisy. The girl cried over her supposed deformity, though she remained extremely attractive.

All summer, the heroine lived in the forest, completely self-sufficient. She constructed a cradle and hung it under a large burdock leaf to protect her from the rain. Her diet consisted of sweet flower pollen and morning dew. With the onset of winter, the climate worsened. The birds flew away, the flowers withered, and the burdock leaf withered and curled up. The girl’s clothes were completely torn. Due to their modest size, each falling snowflake felt like a shovelful of snow.

Winter location and agreement with the field mouse

Seeking shelter, the poor girl went out into the field. The grain had long since been harvested, and bare, dry stalks protruded from the frozen ground. The heroine discovered a small hole that served as the door to a field mouse’s home. The room was well-stocked: the pantry and kitchen were filled to the brim with grain. Thumbelina had eaten nothing for two days and asked for a piece of barley grain. The old field mouse proved kind and offered a contract. The girl received the right to live in warmth all winter. In exchange, she promised to clean the rooms well and regularly tell the old woman fairy tales. Thumbelina happily carried out all the instructions.

Soon, the mouse announced a visit from a wealthy neighbor. The mole lived in spacious underground chambers and wore a wonderful black velvet coat. The mouse recommended the girl consider the neighbor a promising husband. The mole paid a visit. The guest spoke negatively of the sun and beautiful flowers, as he was blind. Thumbelina charmingly performed two songs: "Maybug, Fly, Fly" and "A Monk Wanders Through the Meadows." The musical performance impressed the distinguished gentleman, but he remained silent.

Rescue operation and secret rehabilitation

The mole dug a new underground passage between the houses and allowed the ladies to use it. He asked them not to be alarmed by the dead bird. The mole took a rotten piece of wood in his mouth to light the tunnel. Halfway along the passage lay a dead swallow, its head and legs hidden in its feathers. The mole poked its nose into the earthen ceiling, letting in daylight. The underground dwellers mocked the bird, considering its singing a useless exercise. Thumbelina remained silent, and when her companions turned away, she kissed the swallow’s closed eyes.

That night, the girl wove a carpet of dried grass blades. She carried the piece to the gallery, wrapped the swallow, and lined it with mouse down. Leaning against the bird’s chest, Thumbelina heard its heartbeat. The swallow had been frozen stiff from the intense cold, but now it warmed up and came to life. The bird seemed gigantic compared to the tiny creature, but the heroine brought a mint leaf and covered its head.

The next night, the swallow opened her eyes. The bird told her about the wing she had injured on a thorn bush, which had prevented her from migrating in the fall. Thumbelina had cared for the sick bird all winter, providing her with water in a flower petal. The mole and the mouse knew nothing about the bird. In the spring, the sun warmed the earth. The swallow offered its savior to sit on its back and fly away into the green forest. Thumbelina refused, fearing to upset the old mouse. The swallow said goodbye, flew into the sun, and disappeared into the forest, making a "qui-wit" sound.

Preparing for marriage and radical measures

Summer brought new problems. Thick ears of grain in the field blocked out the light, turning the space into a dense forest. A bored mole formally proposed to Thumbelina. The mouse ordered a dowry prepared. Four spiders were hired, spinning yarn nonstop. Every evening, the mole came to discuss the wedding. The celebration was scheduled for late summer, when the sun would no longer scorch the earth. The girl emerged from the threshold of her hole at dawn and dusk, catching the rare glimpses of blue sky. She yearned for the swallow that had flown away.

In the fall, the dowry was ready. The mouse announced the wedding would take place in a month. Thumbelina openly declared her reluctance to marry the mole. The mouse threatened to bite the stubborn girl with her white tooth. The prospect of descending deep underground forever and never seeing the red sun terrified the girl.

On the wedding day, the mole came for the bride. The heroine emerged to the surface to bid farewell to the light. The grain had been harvested, and the field was once again covered with dried stalks. She stretched her arms toward the sun and embraced a small red flower. At that moment, the familiar chirping of a swallow was heard.

Air migration and integration into society

A passing bird was delighted to see her. Upon learning of her forced descent underground, the swallow suggested an immediate flight to warmer climes. Thumbelina agreed. She perched on the bird’s back, braced her feet against its outstretched wings, and tied herself with a belt to the largest feather.

The flight passed over dark forests, blue seas, and high snow-capped mountains. It was bitterly cold at altitude, so the girl burrowed into her soft feathers. Soon they reached warmer climes. The sun shone brighter, the sky rose higher. Green and black grapes twined along the hedges, and lemons and oranges ripened in the woods. Children ran along the paths, catching colorful butterflies.

The swallow delivered its passenger to a blue lake. An ancient white marble palace towered there. Grape vines twined around the columns, and nests hid under the roof. A fallen column top lay on the ground, broken into three pieces. Large white flowers grew between the marble fragments. The bird lowered Thumbelina onto a wide petal of one of the flowers.

A tiny, translucent figure, like a crystal figure, sat in the cup. A golden crown shone on its head, and wings fluttered behind its shoulders. The creature’s dimensions matched those of Thumbelina. It was the king of the elves. The ruler was frightened by the enormous bird but was delighted by the girl. He removed the crown, placed it on his guest’s head, and invited her to become the queen of the flowers.

The girl agreed to this marriage. Elves of both sexes flew out from other flowers and presented gifts. The best offering was a pair of transparent dragonfly wings. They were attached to the girl’s back, granting her the ability to fly. The elf society considered the name "Thumbelina" offensive and renamed her Maya. The swallow sang a song to the newlyweds and then returned to distant Denmark. There, the bird settled above the window of a master storyteller. It was from her that the writer learned this story.