Thumbelina
Follow the adventures of Thumbelina, the little girl who comes from inside a flower. Children love stories. Bring the magic of good storytelling into your classroom with Classic Tales, and they'll love their English lessons too.
Story Summary
Thumbelina's Magical Birth
A woman who longs for a child receives a magical seed from an old woman. She plants it, and soon a beautiful flower grows. When the flower opens, a tiny girl named Thumbelina is inside. The woman is overjoyed and cares for Thumbelina, making her a small bed and blanket. Thumbelina is happy, spending her days playing and singing. This magical beginning shows how much love the woman has for her tiny daughter, even though she is no bigger than a thumb.
The Toad's Kidnapping
One night, a toad kidnaps Thumbelina, wanting her to marry her son. Thumbelina is taken to a river and feels scared. She doesn’t want to marry the toad. Luckily, some kind fish help her escape by cutting the leaf she’s on, letting her float away. A butterfly then helps her by pulling the leaf down the river. This part of the story shows Thumbelina’s bravery and the kindness of strangers who help her when she’s in trouble.
The Maybug's Rejection
After escaping the toad, Thumbelina enjoys a beautiful day until a maybug sees her and wants her to be his wife. He takes her to a tree, but the other maybugs laugh at her because she looks different—she’s pink and has only two legs. The maybug changes his mind and leaves her alone. Thumbelina is sad but makes a new home in the grass with the birds as her friends. This part teaches us that being different is okay and that true friends will accept us as we are.
Life with the Mouse and Mole
When winter comes, a kind mouse offers Thumbelina shelter in exchange for work. Thumbelina agrees and lives with the mouse. Later, a rich mole visits and wants to marry her, but Thumbelina doesn’t like his dark underground home. One day, she finds a nearly dead bird and nurses it back to health with a grass blanket. The bird recovers and leaves in spring, but Thumbelina stays to help the mouse. This part shows her kindness and the difficult choices she must make.
The Happy Ending
When the mole plans to marry Thumbelina, she feels trapped. Just in time, the bird she saved returns and offers to take her away. Thumbelina agrees, and they fly to a beautiful land with flowers and sunshine. There, she meets a tiny prince who lives in a flower. They fall in love and marry. Thumbelina finally finds happiness and a place where she belongs. The story ends with her dark days behind her, surrounded by beauty and love, showing that kindness and perseverance lead to a happy ending.
Story Vocabulary Quiz
Loading...
Story Quiz
Sue Arengo
A Storyteller for Young Learners of English
Sue Arengo is a British author who writes wonderful stories for children learning English. She has worked with Oxford University Press for over 20 years, creating books that are fun and easy to read. Many of her books are part of graded reader series like Classic Tales, Dominoes, and Oxford Bookworms.
Comments