by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H P Paull (1872)

once woman who wished little child, but obtain her wish At last she went to fairy, and said, " so like little child; tell me where find one ? "

"Oh, easily managed," said the fairy " barleycorn of different kind which grow farmer's fields, and which the chickens eat; put it into flower-pot, happen "

" ," said the woman, and she gave the fairy twelve shillings, the price barleycorn Then she went home and planted it, and immediately there grew up large handsome flower, something like tulip in appearance, but with its leaves tightly closed it were still bud " beautiful flower," said the woman, and she kissed the red and golden-colored leaves, and while she did so the flower opened, and she real tulip flower, green velvet stamens, sat very delicate and graceful little maiden She was scarcely half as long as thumb, gave her the name of "Thumbelina," or Tiny, because she was so small walnut-shell, elegantly polished, served her for cradle; her bed was formed of blue violet-leaves, with rose-leaf for counterpane Here she slept at night, but during the day she amused herself on table, where the woman had placed plateful of water Round this plate were wreaths of flowers with their stems water, and upon it floated large tulip-leaf, which served Tiny for boat Here the little maiden sat and rowed herself from side to side, with two oars made of white horse-hair It really was very pretty sight Tiny could, also, sing so softly and sweetly that nothing like her singing had ever before been heard One night, while she lay in her pretty bed, large, ugly, wet toad crept through broken pane of glass window, and leaped right table where Tiny lay sleeping under her rose-leaf quilt "What pretty little wife make son, said the toad, and she took up the walnut-shell little Tiny lay asleep, and jumped window with it garden

swampy margin of broad stream garden lived the toad, with her son uglier even than his mother, and when the pretty little maiden in her elegant bed, only cry, "Croak, croak, croak "

"Don't speak so loud, or she will wake," said the toad, "and then she might run away, for as light as swan's down place her on water-lily leaves out stream; like an island to her, so light and small, and then escape; and, while away, make haste and prepare the state-room under the marsh, to live married "

Far out stream grew number of water-lilies, with broad green leaves, which seemed to float top water The largest leaves appeared farther off rest, old toad swam out walnut-shell, little Tiny lay still asleep The tiny little creature woke very early morning, and began to cry bitterly when she found where she was, for she nothing but water on every side large green leaf, and no way of reaching the land Meanwhile the old toad was very busy under the marsh, decking her room with rushes and wild yellow flowers, it look pretty for her new daughter-in-law Then she swam out with her ugly son leaf she had placed poor little Tiny She wanted to fetch the pretty bed, that she might put it bridal chamber ready for her The old toad bowed low to her water, and said, " my son, your husband, and live happily marsh stream "

"Croak, croak, croak," was all her son for himself; so the toad took up the elegant little bed, and swam away with it, leaving Tiny all alone green leaf, where she sat and wept bear of living old toad, and having her ugly son for husband The little fishes, who swam about water beneath, had seen the toad, and heard what she said, so they lifted their heads above the water to look little maiden they caught sight of her, they saw she was very pretty, and it made them very sorry that go and live ugly toads "No, it must never be ! " so they assembled together water, round the green stalk which held the leaf the little maiden stood, and gnawed it away root with their teeth Then the leaf floated down the stream, carrying Tiny far away out of reach of land

Tiny sailed past many towns, little birds bushes saw her, and sang, "What lovely little creature;" so the leaf swam away with her farther and farther, till it brought her to other lands graceful little white butterfly constantly fluttered round her, and at last alighted leaf Tiny pleased him, and she was glad of it, for now the toad possibly reach her, country through which she sailed was beautiful, sun shone water, till it glittered like liquid gold She took off her girdle and tied one end of it round the butterfly, other end ribbon she fastened leaf, which now glided on much faster than ever, taking little Tiny with it as she stood Presently large cockchafer flew by; the moment he caught sight of her, he seized her round her delicate waist claws, and flew with her into tree The green leaf floated away brook, butterfly flew with it, for fastened , and get away

Oh, how frightened little Tiny felt cockchafer flew with her tree ! But especially was she sorry beautiful white butterfly which she had fastened leaf, for if free himself die of hunger But the cockchafer trouble himself at all He seated himself by her side on large green leaf, gave her some honey flowers to eat, and told her she was very pretty, though not least like cockchafer After time, all the cockchafers turned up their feelers, and said, "She has only two legs ! how ugly that looks " "She has no feelers," said another "Her waist is quite slim Pooh ! like human being "

"Oh ! ugly," said all the lady cockchafers, although Tiny was very pretty Then the cockchafer who had run away with her, believed all the others said she was ugly, and nothing more to her, and told her she might go where she liked Then he flew down with her tree, and placed her on daisy, and she wept thought that she was so ugly that even the cockchafers nothing to her And all the while she was really the loveliest creature that one could imagine, and as tender and delicate as beautiful rose-leaf During the whole summer poor little Tiny lived quite alone wide forest She wove herself bed with blades of grass, and hung it up under broad leaf, to protect herself rain She sucked the honey flowers for food, and drank the dew from their leaves every morning So passed away the summer autumn, and then came the winter,- the long, cold winter All the birds who had sung to her so sweetly were flown away, trees flowers had withered The large clover leaf under the shelter she had lived, was now rolled together and shrivelled up, nothing remained but yellow withered stalk She felt dreadfully cold, for her clothes were torn, and she was herself so frail and delicate, that poor little Tiny was nearly frozen to death It began to snow too; snow-flakes, fell upon her, were like whole shovelful falling upon one of us, for tall, but she was only an inch high Then she wrapped herself up in dry leaf, but it cracked middle and keep her warm, and she shivered with cold Near the wood she living lay corn-field, but the corn cut ; nothing remained but the bare dry stubble standing up frozen ground to her like struggling through large wood Oh ! how she shivered cold She came at last door of field-mouse, who had little den under the corn-stubble There dwelt the field-mouse in warmth and comfort, with whole roomful of corn, kitchen, and beautiful dining room Poor little Tiny stood door just like little beggar-girl, and begged for small piece of barley-corn, for she without morsel to eat for two days

"You poor little creature," said the field-mouse, who was really good old field-mouse, "come into my warm room and dine with me " She was very pleased with Tiny, so she said, " quite welcome to stay with me all the winter, like; but keep my rooms clean and neat, and tell me stories, for like to hear them " And Tiny did all the field-mouse asked her, and found herself very comfortable

" visitor soon," said the field-mouse one day; "my neighbor pays me visit once week better off than ; he has large rooms, and wears beautiful black velvet coat only have him for husband, well provided for indeed But blind, so tell him some of your prettiest stories

But Tiny feel at all interested neighbor, for mole However, and paid his visit dressed black velvet coat

" very rich and learned, house is twenty times larger than mine," said the field-mouse