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Thumbelina
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The story of a tiny, tiny little girl, and her journey through nature. Hans Christian Andersen wrote this delicate story in 1835. Like many of his tales, it’s about the courage and survival against the odds of somebody quite small and rather different.
If you like this story, you will probably enjoy The Ugly Ducking too.
Read by Natasha. Duration 32.22 Version from Andrew Lang’s Yellow Fairy Book.
There was once a woman who wanted to have quite a tiny, little child, but she did not know where to get one from. So one day she went to an old Witch and said to her: ‘I should so much like to have a tiny, little child; can you tell me where I can get one?’
‘Oh, we have just got one ready!’ said the Witch. ‘Here is a barley-corn for you, but it’s not the kind the farmer sows in his field, or feeds the cocks and hens with, I can tell you. Put it in a flower-pot, and then you will see something happen.’
‘Oh, thank you!’ said the woman, and gave the Witch a shilling, for that was what it cost. Then she went home and planted the barley-corn; immediately there grew out of it a large and beautiful flower, which looked like a tulip, but the petals were tightly closed as if it were still only a bud.
‘What a beautiful flower!’ exclaimed the woman, and she kissed the red and yellow petals; but as she kissed them the flower burst open. It was a real tulip, such as one can see any day; but in the middle of the blossom, on the green velvety petals, sat a little girl, quite tiny, trim, and pretty. She was scarcely half a thumb in height; so they called her Thumbelina. An elegant polished walnut-shell served Thumbelina as a cradle, the blue petals of a violet were her mattress, and a rose-leaf her coverlid. There she lay at night, but in the day-time she used to play about on the table; here the woman had put a bowl, surrounded by a ring of flowers, with their stalks in water, in the middle of which floated a great tulip pedal, and on this Thumbelina sat, and sailed from one side of the bowl to the other, rowing herself with two white horse-hairs for oars. It was such a pretty sight! She could sing, too, with a voice more soft and sweet than had ever been heard before.
One night, when she was lying in her pretty little bed, an old toad crept in through a broken pane in the window. She was very ugly, clumsy, and clammy; she hopped on to the table where Thumbelina lay asleep under the red rose-leaf.
‘This would make a beautiful wife for my son,’ said the toad, taking up the walnut-shell, with Thumbelina inside, and hopping with it through the window into the garden.
There flowed a great wide stream, with slippery and marshy banks; here the toad lived with her son. Ugh! how ugly and clammy he was, just like his mother! ‘Croak, croak, croak!’ was all he could say when he saw the pretty little girl in the walnut- shell.
‘Don’t talk so load, or you’ll wake her,’ said the old toad. ‘She might escape us even now; she is as light as a feather. We will put her at once on a broad water-lily leaf in the stream. That will be quite an island for her; she is so small and light. She can’t run away from us there, whilst we are preparing the guest-chamber under the marsh where she shall live.’
Outside in the brook grew many water-lilies, with broad green leaves, which looked as if they were swimming about on the water.
The leaf farthest away was the largest, and to this the old toad swam with Thumbelina in her walnut-shell.
The tiny Thumbelina woke up very early in the morning, and when she saw where she was she began to cry bitterly; for on every side of the great green leaf was water, and she could not get to the land.
The old toad was down under the marsh, decorating her room with rushes and yellow marigold leaves, to make it very grand for her new daughter-in-law; then she swam out with her ugly son to the leaf where Thumbelina lay. She wanted to fetch the pretty cradle to put it into her room before Thumbelina herself came there. The old toad bowed low in the water before her, and said: ‘Here is my son; you shall marry him, and live in great magnificence down under the marsh.’
‘Croak, croak, croak!’ was all that the son could say. Then they took the neat little cradle and swam away with it; but Thumbelina sat alone on the great green leaf and wept, for she did not want to live with the clammy toad, or marry her ugly son. The little fishes swimming about under the water had seen the toad quite plainly, and heard what she had said; so they put up their heads to see the little girl. When they saw her, they thought her so pretty that they were very sorry she should go down with the ugly toad to live. No; that must not happen. They assembled in the water round the green stalk which supported the leaf on which she was sitting, and nibbled the stem in two. Away floated the leaf down the stream, bearing Thumbelina far beyond the reach of the toad.
On she sailed past several towns, and the little birds sitting in the bushes saw her, and sang, ‘What a pretty little girl!’ The leaf floated farther and farther away; thus Thumbelina left her native land.
A beautiful little white butterfly fluttered above her, and at last settled on the leaf. Thumbelina pleased him, and she, too, was delighted, for now the toads could not reach her, and it was so beautiful where she was travelling; the sun shone on the water and made it sparkle like the brightest silver. She took off her sash, and tied one end round the butterfly; the other end she fastened to the leaf, so that now it glided along with her faster than ever.
A great chaffinch came flying past; he caught sight of Thumbelina, and in a moment had put his arms round her slender waist, and had flown off with her to a tree. The green leaf floated away down the stream, and the butterfly with it, for he was fastened to the leaf and could not get loose from it. Oh, dear! how terrified poor little Thumbelina was when the chaffinch flew off with her to the tree! But she was especially distressed on the beautiful white butterfly’s account, as she had tied him fast, so that if he could not get away he must starve to death. But the chaffinch did not trouble himself about that; he sat down with her on a large green leaf, gave her the honey out of the flowers to eat, and told her that she was very pretty, although she wasn’t in the least like a chaffinch. Later on, all the other chaffinchs who lived in the same tree came to pay calls; they examined Thumbelina closely, and remarked, How very miserable!’
‘She has no feelers!’ cried another.
‘How ugly she is!’ said all the lady chafers–and yet Thumbelina was really very pretty.
The chaffinch who had stolen her knew this very well; but when he heard all the ladies saying she was ugly, he began to think so too, and would not keep her; she might go wherever she liked. So he flew down from the tree with her and put her on a daisy. There she sat and wept, because she was so ugly that the chaffinch would have nothing to do with her; and yet she was the most beautiful creature imaginable, so soft and delicate, like the loveliest rose-leaf.
The whole summer poor little Thumbelina lived alone in the great wood. She plaited a bed for herself of blades of grass, and hung it up under a clover-leaf, so that she was protected from the rain; she gathered honey from the flowers for food, and drank the dew on the leaves every morning. Thus the summer and autumn passed, but then came winter–the long, cold winter. All the birds who had sung so sweetly about her had flown away; the trees shed their leaves, the flowers died; the great clover-leaf under which she had lived curled up, and nothing remained of it but the withered stalk. She was terribly cold, for her clothes were ragged, and she herself was so small and thin. Poor little Thumbelina! she would surely be frozen to death. It began to snow, and every snow-flake that fell on her was to her as a whole shovelful thrown on one of us, for we are so big, and she was only an inch high. She wrapt herself round in a dead leaf, but it was torn in the middle and gave her no warmth; she was trembling with cold.
Just outside the wood where she was now living lay a great corn-field. But the corn had been gone a long time; only the dry, bare stubble was left standing in the frozen ground. This made a forest for her to wander about in. All at once she came across the door of a field-mouse, who had a little hole under a corn-stalk. There the mouse lived warm and snug, with a store-room full of corn, a splendid kitchen and dining-room. Poor little Thumbelina went up to the door and begged for a little piece of barley, for she had not had anything to eat for the last two days.
‘Poor little creature!’ said the field-mouse, for she was a kind- hearted old thing at the bottom. ‘Come into my warm room and have some dinner with me.’
As Thumbelina pleased her, she said: ‘As far as I am concerned you may spend the winter with me; but you must keep my room clean and tidy, and tell me stories, for I like that very much.’
And Thumbelina did all that the kind old field-mouse asked, and did it remarkably well too.
‘Now I am expecting a visitor,’ said the field-mouse; ‘my neighbour comes to call on me once a week. He is in better circumstances than I am, has great, big rooms, and wears a fine black-velvet coat. If you could only marry him, you would be well provided for. But he is blind. You must tell him all the prettiest stories you know.’
But Thumbelina did not trouble her head about him, for he was only a mole. He came and paid them a visit in his black-velvet coat.
‘He is so rich and so accomplished,’ the field-mouse told her.
‘His house is twenty times larger than mine; he possesses great knowledge, but he cannot bear the sun and the beautiful flowers, and speaks slightingly of them, for he has never seen them.’
Thumbelina had to sing to him, so she sang ‘Lady-bird, lady- bird, fly away home!’ and other songs so prettily that the mole fell in love with her; but he did not say anything, he was a very cautious man. A short time before he had dug a long passage through the ground from his own house to that of his neighbour; in this he gave the field-mouse and Thumbelina permission to walk as often as they liked. But he begged them not to be afraid of the dead bird that lay in the passage: it was a real bird with beak and feathers, and must have died a little time ago, and now laid buried just where he had made his tunnel. The mole took a piece of rotten wood in his mouth, for that glows like fire in the dark, and went in front, lighting them through the long dark passage. When they came to the place where the dead bird lay, the mole put his broad nose against the ceiling and pushed a hole through, so that the daylight could shine down. In the middle of the path lay a dead swallow, his pretty wings pressed close to his sides, his claws and head drawn under his feathers; the poor bird had evidently died of cold. Thumbelina was very sorry, for she was very fond of all little birds; they had sung and twittered so beautifully to her all through the summer. But the mole kicked him with his bandy legs and said:
‘Now he can’t sing any more! It must be very miserable to be a little bird! I’m thankful that none of my little children are; birds always starve in winter.’
‘Yes, you speak like a sensible man,’ said the field-mouse. ‘What has a bird, in spite of all his singing, in the winter-time? He must starve and freeze, and that must be very pleasant for him, I must say!’
Thumbelina did not say anything; but when the other two had passed on she bent down to the bird, brushed aside the feathers from his head, and kissed his closed eyes gently. ‘Perhaps it was he that sang to me so prettily in the summer,’ she thought. ‘How much pleasure he did give me, dear little bird!’
The mole closed up the hole again which let in the light, and then escorted the ladies home. But Thumbelina could not sleep that night; so she got out of bed, and plaited a great big blanket of straw, and carried it off, and spread it over the dead bird, and piled upon it thistle-down as soft as cotton-wool, which she had found in the field-mouse’s room, so that the poor little thing should lie warmly buried.
‘Farewell, pretty little bird!’ she said. ‘Farewell, and thank you for your beautiful songs in the summer, when the trees were green, and the sun shone down warmly on us!’ Then she laid her head against the bird’s heart. But the bird was not dead: he had been frozen, but now that she had warmed him, he was coming to life again.
In autumn the swallows fly away to foreign lands; but there are some who are late in starting, and then they get so cold that they drop down as if dead, and the snow comes and covers them over.
Thumbelina trembled, she was so frightened; for the bird was very large in comparison with herself–only an inch high. But she took courage, piled up the down more closely over the poor swallow, fetched her own coverlid and laid it over his head.
Next night she crept out again to him. There he was alive, but very weak; he could only open his eyes for a moment and look at Thumbelina, who was standing in front of him with a piece of rotten wood in her hand, for she had no other lantern.
‘Thank you, pretty little child!’ said the swallow to her. ‘I am so beautifully warm! Soon I shall regain my strength, and then I shall be able to fly out again into the warm sunshine.’
‘Oh!’ she said, ‘it is very cold outside; it is snowing and freezing! stay in your warm bed; I will take care of you!’
Then she brought him water in a petal, which he drank, after which he related to her how he had torn one of his wings on a bramble, so that he could not fly as fast as the other swallows, who had flown far away to warmer lands. So at last he had dropped down exhausted, and then he could remember no more. The whole winter he remained down there, and Thumbelina looked after him and nursed him tenderly. Neither the mole nor the field-mouse learnt anything of this, for they could not bear the poor swallow.
When the spring came, and the sun warmed the earth again, the swallow said farewell to Thumbelina, who opened the hole in the roof for him which the mole had made. The sun shone brightly down upon her, and the swallow asked her if she would go with him; she could sit upon his back. Thumbelina wanted very much to fly far away into the green wood, but she knew that the old field-mouse would be sad if she ran away. ‘No, I mustn’t come!’ she said.
‘Farewell, dear good little girl!’ said the swallow, and flew off into the sunshine. Thumbelina gazed after him with the tears standing in her eyes, for she was very fond of the swallow.
‘Tweet, tweet!’ sang the bird, and flew into the green wood. Thumbelina was very unhappy. She was not allowed to go out into the warm sunshine. The corn which had been sowed in the field over the field-mouse’s home grew up high into the air, and made a thick forest for the poor little girl, who was only an inch high.
‘Now you are to be a bride, Thumbelina!’ said the field-mouse, ‘for our neighbour has proposed for you! What a piece of fortune for a poor child like you! Now you must set to work at your linen for your dowry, for nothing must be lacking if you are to become the wife of our neighbour, the mole!’
Thumbelina had to spin all day long, and every evening the mole visited her, and told her that when the summer was over the sun would not shine so hot; now it was burning the earth as hard as a stone. Yes, when the summer had passed, they would keep the wedding.
But she was not at all pleased about it, for she did not like the stupid mole. Every morning when the sun was rising, and every evening when it was setting, she would steal out of the house-door, and when the breeze parted the ears of corn so that she could see the blue sky through them, she thought how bright and beautiful it must be outside, and longed to see her dear swallow again. But he never came; no doubt he had flown away far into the great green wood.
By the autumn Thumbelina had finished the dowry.
‘In four weeks you will be married!’ said the field-mouse; ‘don’t be obstinate, or I shall bite you with my sharp white teeth! You will get a fine husband! The King himself has not such a velvet coat. His store-room and cellar are full, and you should be thankful for that.’
Well, the wedding-day arrived. The mole had come to fetch Thumbelina to live with him deep down under the ground, never to come out into the warm sun again, for that was what he didn’t like. The poor little girl was very sad; for now she must say good-bye to the beautiful sun.
‘Farewell, bright sun!’ she cried, stretching out her arms towards it, and taking another step outside the house; for now the corn had been reaped, and only the dry stubble was left standing. ‘Farewell, farewell!’ she said, and put her arms round a little red flower that grew there. ‘Give my love to the dear swallow when you see him!’
‘Tweet, tweet!’ sounded in her ear all at once. She looked up. There was the swallow flying past! As soon as he saw Thumbelina, he was very glad. She told him how unwilling she was to marry the ugly mole, as then she had to live underground where the sun never shone, and she could not help bursting into tears.
‘The cold winter is coming now,’ said the swallow. ‘I must fly away to warmer lands: will you come with me? You can sit on my back, and we will fly far away from the ugly mole and his dark house, over the mountains, to the warm countries where the sun shines more brightly than here, where it is always summer, and there are always beautiful flowers. Do come with me, dear little Thumbelina, who saved my life when I lay frozen in the dark tunnel!’
‘Yes, I will go with you,’ said Thumbelina, and got on the swallow’s back, with her feet on one of his outstretched wings. Up he flew into the air, over woods and seas, over the great mountains where the snow is always lying. And if she was cold she crept under his warm feathers, only keeping her little head out to admire all the beautiful things in the world beneath. At last they came to warm lands; there the sun was brighter, the sky seemed twice as high, and in the hedges hung the finest green and purple grapes; in the woods grew oranges and lemons: the air was scented with myrtle and mint, and on the roads were pretty little children running about and playing with great gorgeous butterflies. But the swallow flew on farther, and it became more and more beautiful. Under the most splendid green trees besides a blue lake stood a glittering white-marble castle. Vines hung about the high pillars; there were many swallows’ nests, and in one of these lived the swallow who was carrying Thumbelina.
‘Here is my house!’ said he. ‘But it won’t do for you to live with me; I am not tidy enough to please you. Find a home for yourself in one of the lovely flowers that grow down there; now I will set you down, and you can do whatever you like.’
‘That will be splendid!’ said she, clapping her little hands.
There lay a great white marble column which had fallen to the ground and broken into three pieces, but between these grew the most beautiful white flowers. The swallow flew down with Thumbelina, and set her upon one of the broad leaves. But there, to her astonishment, she found a tiny little man sitting in the middle of the flower, as white and transparent as if he were made of glass; he had the prettiest golden crown on his head, and the most beautiful wings on his shoulders; he himself was no bigger than Thumbelina. He was the spirit of the flower. In each blossom there dwelt a tiny man or woman; but this one was the King over the others.
‘How handsome he is!’ whispered Thumbelina to the swallow.
The little Prince was very much frightened at the swallow, for in comparison with one so tiny as himself he seemed a giant. But when he saw Thumbelina, he was delighted, for she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. So he took his golden crown from off his head and put it on hers, asking her her name, and if she would be his wife, and then she would be Queen of all the flowers. Yes! he was a different kind of husband to the son of the toad and the mole with the black-velvet coat. So she said ‘Yes’ to the noble Prince. And out of each flower came a lady and gentleman, each so tiny and pretty that it was a pleasure to see them. Each brought Thumbelina a present, but the best of all was a beautiful pair of wings which were fastened on to her back, and now she too could fly from flower to flower. They all wished her joy, and the swallow sat above in his nest and sang the wedding march, and that he did as well as he could; but he was sad, because he was very fond of Thumbelina and did not want to be separated from her.
‘You shall not be called Thumbelina!’ said the spirit of the flower to her; ‘that is an ugly name, and you are much too pretty for that. We will call you May Blossom.’
‘Farewell, farewell!’ said the little swallow with a heavy heart, and flew away to farther lands, far, far away, right back to Denmark. There he had a little nest above a window, where his wife lived, who can tell fairy-stories. ‘Tweet, tweet!’ he sang to her. And that is the way we learnt the whole story.
Hans Christian Andersen grew up in a Danish village and moved to the big city. His graceful and artistic fairy tales poke fun at vanity.
great ,., iloved it
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It was pretty good
Oh What A Small World This Is. I love Fairy Tales!
i hated it
i love thumbelina
i love thumbilina
natasha this story is my favorite story in the hole world so thank you
i am from korea. and i love all of thees storys. thank you so much c:
i love this story so much. when you played this story i was so happy so thank you a lot ^^
natasha it was a grat stroy wuved every minite of it
yawn no offence but i was realey tierd
grat story but toooooo long
i lv it
i love the wooden horse moore better than this
it was a great story!!! I enjoyed every minute of it!!
it is good to read and it is brove like in france stroy
i love it
i love this book i got the movie
i love this book it is the best book i’ve ever heard
SO VERY BEAUTIFUL STORY .. !!
hi my boyfrined just rote awesome story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ce ya
you guys rock! and i hope you like my new song boyfirend!! ce ya
So cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderful story
Hey Natsha this story is great it was so nice reading Thumbelina in was so great.
Best wishes
Natsha
i think thumbleina was amazing because it was a great adventure storie for kids
Me gusta
hi Natasha what day does a new story come
N~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~I-~-~-~-~-~-~-C-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~–~–~-~-~-E
@NICES@
I love you and i want to kiss you
Hello
Thank you. Thumbelina is a sweet tale by Hans Christian Andersson. The young fairy no bigger than the size of a thumb needle finds her way through the rushing streams where the water creatures like the frogs and birds help her to meet her prince charming.
Thanks for listeing
Bye Bye
N *
EVEN I LOVE THIS STORY ITS AMZING !:)))))))))):):):):)!
This book is very nice and want to have it very much!
I think this book is OK.
*****
I am 7 years old, and I think this story is great for children & teenagers. My mom likes it, so it might be good for adults. Hopefully it is good for old people also.
dis was a good book i really like it and its true meanning.
Hello
I’m pleased you like this delicate tale by Hans Christian Andersson. You can find a good copy in a library I’m certain. Lots of luck
Bye Bye
N*
it wont let me read it
Dear Natasha,
I love your stories, you have the best story writer. I love Thumbalina , she is the best. It’s the best story I ever heard. May I please have a copy?
(Elleree , age 4yrs).
Your spontanius.Your beutiful.Your clever.Your a lovely young lady like thumbelina.A pretty girl.
Natasha you are a very good reader and narrator and I LOVE your accent!Are you a writer?If not,be one!Or a teacher.You are a smart lady Natasha,and you deserve EVERYTHING you will want and need.
My mother told me about thism story when we saw a comercial called “The Secret World Of Arriety”and told me about thumbalina.I thin little girls will adore it like i did!!!!!!!!!Oh,and Nahla im like you-im nine,love this elegant story,and to become a writer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
adadadasdasd
fantactic story I hope there is a second one
Being a english teacher, my year 3&4 class are listning to this wonderful story and can’t wait to hear another!
Amelia
thumbelina is one of the bestest stories ever………………………….
i just love fairy tales!!!!!!!! and thumbelina is fantastic, fabolous……………………
iloved his book :)
I just love this book. It is awesome. I reccommend everybody to read it
god bless you with so many hapiness in you life i mean god has given you a great and intellligent brain thumblina story is the best story for me supportings are with you nathasha
I LOVE IT
niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:)
Hello thank you for your comment it is wonderful to hear that you enjoy this fairytale for younger years We hope you continue listening
Bye Bye
N*
I appreciate this website so much. Thank you for offering free stories. And I love the long ones just as much if not more than the short ones :D Thank you Natasha
i love this story but it was too longg
i love this…..
hate it
BEST BOOK EVER
I loved this story when I was a little girl. I also loved watching this cartoon. Now I am very pleased to see this story in English.
SUPER!!!!!!!!
Hello
Thanks for your comment, it is wonderful to hear that you enjoy the story of Thumbelina
It is a very good tale and one that we will always remember of the young girl who is no more than the size of a thumbneedle.
Bye Bye
N *
I’ve loved this story since I was a child. I wanted my daughter to hear the story but I couldn’t remember it. Thank the lord for this website my memory needed a little refreshment itself.
Hello
Thank you for your comment
Thumbelina is a more than a usual farytale. The young girl that is left marooned on a lily leaf is not than 8 inch’s high (the same size as a thumb needle)
The young maiden talks to the frogs and the other creatures of the water that help her find the way to the young prince.
Thanks for listening
Bye Bye
N *
i have read many fairy tales but this one is so different than others.make like this story’s again
Hello
This is a very nice tale by fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersson.
Thumberlina is a young princess of the lilly leaf and she finds a way to reach safety
with the other water creatures.
Bye Bye
N *
It’s very nice.
Awesome
u should be in a british movie i love thumbelina xoxo yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayaaaaaaa1……………………….
Thumbelina is the number one story ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! number one story yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
natasha i love how you talk i luv british and how you read xoxoxoxoxoooooo;0 ;9
i like this story a lot because its funny and cool the part i like about this story is whenThumbelina and the prince got married
i love how u sound i love how u talk british teach me:) i luv this story thanks
The girl looks like a sick animal … You really shoukd be upset with this dumb trashh book #Jusst Sayinqqq <3 im gonna use this stupid book for my project , and i better get an A+ or i'll find yoou and cut those legs of your offfff :)
This story shows lots of courage
really good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!n.o 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!cant waight for the naxt story a listen to
trololol i love storynory i listen to it every night :)
storynory made me FAMOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
i hate storynory :( it ruined my life
brilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 4 little ones
this wonderful story is now my favourate storie
That girl in the picture is ugly. I LOVE it.Storynory best place to read. NATASHA best reader ever. I love it, bye.
I think this is a very good example of courage.
April says It cool .
IT COOL
that was a great story!i cant’t wait to read more books on storynory!!!!
she is so cute and magical
how long story is this, but a lovely story about thumbelina
Thank you very much for telling me the story. I love this story very much!
Ilike it so much thumbellina is my favoret story in the world becuase I have the movie and the movie was asome
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This audio i liked most
I also want this story in hindi please provide me suggestions.
thank you
i like this story book very much.it is very nice
VERY CUTE STORY
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This is The Best story ever made in the world love Oscar jack harvey pleas leave a comment natasha
This is The Best story ever made in the world love Oscar jack harvey
So adorable! I really love the movie and this story was maybe even better! Poor Swallow, parted from Thumbilina tho!
i like this story
i like your readings alot thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
very nice one <3
Hello
Thumbelina in which the young babe is stranded in the lilies and the water leaves upon the lake is a story by Hans Christian Andersson in which we see how nature and the animals come to the rescue of the little child. She is only the size of a thumb needle and until she is carried off by the swallow and meets the young prince who calls her may blossom she must keep her name Thumbelina
Thanks for listening
Bye bye
N*
what an amazzing story can not whayt to whach the movie but this is the best viersion ever
wow! its is a beautiful story i had ever seen
I loved the story! Thank you!
dear natasha,or any other friends
i would like to prepare my daughter for school competition as Thumbelina and please help me to make few beautiful simple words about thumbelina for my KG daughter
I love all of the stories on this website. They are the closest stories I’ve ever heard to the real stories. I just love them! I can’t stop listening to them! I just can’t stop saying how much I love this website!
I love this story and i tell my daughter as well.
Thanks alot,
Regards nd lots of love to all
I LOVE THIS STORY AND I REALLY LIKE THE CHARACTER THUMBELINA BECAUSE SHE IS A VERY GENOROUS GIRL IN THE STORY AND I WHISH THE PEOPLE THE VERY BEST LUK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DONE THIS
I REALLY LIKE THIS STORY BECAUSE IT HAS LOTS OF FUNNY PARTS AND INTRESTING WORDS THE FUNNY PART WAS PIG GOT UP IN THE WRONNG TIME WHEN THE W2OLF THEN THE WRITT TIME IU LOVE THIS STORY AND I WHISH THE PEOPLE A VERY BEST ODF LUK FOR MAKING A NEW ON YOUR SINCERELY AMANA
Hello,
Thank you
Thumbelina is a beautiful tale written by Hans Christian Andersson. The tiny young girl is protected from the elements where she lives outside in the changing seasons by many creatures, and most of all by the birds that swing sweetly to her and go ‘ tweet tweet’. The swallow that picks her up and takes her to the king of the flowers does her noble service and the prince gives her the name May blossom but we still remember as Thumbelina, the size of a small small thumb, even at the end of the tale.
Thanks for listening
Bye Bye
N*
This story is very touching to me!:D
A very wounderful story!
I like the storie because it have a cool ending
and the snow,is nice.
hi i have listened to all of your stories my favorite is The Dragon and his Grandmother so I like all of them
I love how the story changes season by season and day by day.
This is one of my most favourite stories . This story is perfect for children of all age .
I have a friend named presley she loves the book to well it is perfect but you have to read it no matter what well you don’t have to read it if your a boy but you can if you want to because it is so so so so perfect yep it is.
I love thumbalina it is so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so perfect and maybe you could add pictures of the frog the ugly frog and her mother and pictures of everything she visits well it is so so so so so so so so so soperfect IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII llllllllllllloooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee it it perfect except the pictures
love it its awesome ur amazing natasha
It was one of the best stories I ever read!!!!!!!
i like this
I really like it because it is long and i like long stories and chapter books. Do you like chapter?
I reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy love it.Soooooooooooooooooooo happy and sad story
hi natasha your story was the best you should make a butterfly book
dear natasha your story was the best you should make a part 1 of thumblia
hi hi hi hihi hihihihi ihih ihi hih i ihih ihih ihi hih ihi ihi h
owsome but that pic looks nothing like her.she is really so pretty.agree??
i like this story because it has a happy ending
good JOB!
Beautiful story!I loved it
If you want to send something on my b-day {not a gift just a note} my birthdate is 0724
I like it.
p.s. I am Kara’s sister
To me it was a wonderful and tounching story. I hope everyone that read this fairy tale will love it.I to the author I hope he has more fabulous sory
i liked it very much
love it cool but long
Beautiful! I love it!
i like it 10 rates
hi i love this website
This story is very interesting i like thumbalina.
Pragya, I’m not sure, but I think she would have missed her daughter a lot.
What happened to the woman who raised Thumbelina?
Plz answer or say something back.
very good story and i don’t need books.
i love it so much it is amazing
thank you very much have a homework
is there any way of telling a story speaking.
mooooooooooo man
weeeweweewewewew
hi all my fans i read the book and it was awsome
I love stories. when I was 5, I started reading chapterbooks.
Now storynory is around,I don’t need books.
good expesstion Natasha.
it was really touching.
i loved ittttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
omg
yeah it rocks i was gonna say omg
My mother always read this story to me every night when I was a little girl, the story stayed with me my whole life, will never forget it.
Thanks everyone!
Dear Nysa, We love Charlotte’s Web too, but I think it’s still under copyright. Thumbelina islong because HC Anderson wrote it that way.
Dear,Natasha why is the Thumbelina story long? Can you make my favorite story ” Charlotte’s web”.PLEASE!!!!!
Wonderful
I love this story i love this site very much
Fabolus
Wonderful“““““`
i love it very very much
@nita keren: but i think this one is too long for my test :x
i likt the story
i like this story.i like how she finds her true love & finds what she truly wants to be,& have done.she finds the rights of the wild & has the peace she has allways wanted.the littlest things make her happy & i love the happy ending!
i like this story!
i like this! i will use this story for test..
the story was interesting
THE story was interesting and fantastico!
Thumbelina is a frivolous girl, daughter of a poor woman, who suffers anorexia that presented as a beauty (living in the forest she was fed honey and water). And she reject suitors, until it finds a prince. That in reality does not exist. Think, not therefore whether these tales we have in our time, the girls anorexia patients, and going into show business
It was nice
[...] There is also an audio version available here http://storynory.com/2009/04/20/thumbelina/ [...]
i love you natasha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thumblina is a very kind girl. Well, although she had many troubles and pain, she finally found her true love and her peace. I love this fairytale. I love happy endings.
Good!
It was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heyy i love this story its great
I love this story.It was interesting and excellent.
O Thumbelina! How kind you are. At last you have found your own true love. You are also crowned by the Prince “Queen of all the flowers” and a beautiful name “May Blossom”.
Every time I walk in the garden. I hope I can see you in the flower.
i hate this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was a beautiful story! I’ve always wanted to read that story and now I got the chance to thanks to StoryNory! Thank you so much!
Hi Mary, I’m really glad your class liked this story. It’s quite a long one for pre-schoolers, so the non-nappers did well to concentrate to end.
I found this website after a gogle search. I put this story on at naptime in my preschool classroom. My kids loved listening to this story. The ones that stayed awake until the end of the story begged to hear more. Im going to put on another tomorrow. Good work.
it’s cool bertie
i like thumbelina
it is brillient
loved the story so much it was excellent and inspiring.
It was excellent. A brilliant reading and one of the best versions of the tale I have ever heard! I enjoyed it immensley and I will come back to this site as often as I can to read more stories.
Jennifer, thanks for your comments. I’ll make sure Natasha sees them.
I absolutely loved the story and have many copies of the fairytale myself but I have also read lots of other narrations of the tale in books and on the computer. I love reading and love reading fairy stories and stories of any kind. My whole family like reading! I am 19 yrs old and live in Newborough, Isle of Anglesey in North Wales and are very happy to live in such a beautiful place. I am sure you’re a great narrator and don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise! I also think it was very rude of Harold to say the story was poorly narrated and that the voicing was hideous! Don’t listen to people like that and be proud of what you do! J. Hyde
its brilliantxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Harold, I just have to beg to differ, but thanks for your feedback
Great story – poorly narrated. The voicing is quite hideous.
A very suitible story for a child who loves fairytales.
iv never hard that story wierd!!! :O
i lov this stoory
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great thanks i never new that x
Hi Mitzi. Glad you like our stories. There is a new one very week.
dear natasha and berty i love the storys but i do think there should be new one
xxxx
wow!this story is amazing!i really liked it !well i love most of the story’s well i’m a girl who can’t stop readind interesting storys!
keep on
Can I Please Look At The STORTY
THANKS FOR COMENTS!!!!!!
i LOVE thumbelina it’s my favourate story.you are my favourate story teller.
i LOVE all the storys you tell.oh And do’not listn to the nasty coments.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Nahlo, I’ll post some tips when we announce the competition.
Dear Bertie,
I already am! But you still have not told me anything about writing! I’m going to start out by writing books for my school. I’m working on a story Called Jane Ruse! It’s about a mystery. Someone has stolen the most important painting! When I say I what information about writing books! I may be nine but I know advise when I see it!
Dear Nahlo
Look out for our writing competition – details on the site later today.
I really would like some information about writing! I’m nine years old and I plan on being a GREAT Author! This is a very kind of book I’m looking for to help me know the things about writing. Please! Please! Please! Please! Wright back and tell me some things about being a good author!
P.S
Where did Natasha get that great Voice!
Mary I live and love stories.
bertie do you live storys or do you love them.
p.s i love them
It’s really AWESOME . Thank you very much and wish wonderful for your job.
I love the story itis great and always nice to hear your voice Natasha
great story really.
thumbelina was a perfect story since i am so tiny myself.
i love this story
My son is 4 yrs and loves to listen to the stories before going to bed.
Hi Abbie I think Thumbelina is a beautiful story for all ages. Glad you like it !
Even though it is based at younger children, it is really interesting for me and i am 12.
hi my name is roxanne can you be my friends and whats your name……………… gud evning and hi……………….
Very good collections of Fairy tales you have Natasha!!!
this story reminds me of when i was a little girl.
I love your story so much.I have the movie too!
Jennifer, that’s fantastic. We love to hear when our stories are helping people. Thanks for letting us know, and good luck to your daughter learning Catalan !
Thank you so much for such wonderful reading of Thumbelina. My daughter goes to a Catalan school (we just moved here from the USA) but does not yet speak Catalan. Her teacher is telling this story in class. Listening to the English version is helping her understand the story in Catalan.
i think that this story enspiers chldren xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Most interesting
it is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this story was very good. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love this book ever secien i was a little girl it is my favorite
i love this story it is my favorite
book
i wish thumbelina was in real… i really appreciate the way you read the stories
super!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
did you know their are three books
that were made before peter pan
here let me name the books, peter
and the starcachers , peter and the
shadow theivs and last but not least
peter and the secret of the rundoon
i love the way you read the stories
NATASHA and i love thumbelina!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this story is # 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i lOVE It
thunbelina is a beautiful story she is like my thumb
COURAGE!!! Everyone should have!!! This is what we learn in this story!
I am Vietnamese and I knew this website through a forum.This story is very interesting.I love it!All fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen are the best stories for children,they can draw many good lessons from them,like:getting on well with everybody,..so on…
sooooooooooo long!
Once upon a time there lived a elaphent name jimmy on day jimmy was of to his friends house.So when gimmy got there he asked pit can you come to the park with me?no! go away from me said pit whats wrong?and then pit got so mad and kicked jimmy ow!ow!ow! screamde jimmy. Jimmy went home and told his mom what happened and jimmy was bleading his mom put a bandage on then it was night and jinny felt alright.So he went to pit house and said sory pit said it is ok then pit said sory and then jimmy said its ok so they were friends again.by pravini fernando
I made a story and i want you to give me your email adress if you want cause i love posting one of my storys i wrote in story nory and if you give me your email adress i will write it and send it to you if you can give me your email adress.thanks if you are going to give me your email adress.
hi natasha i really love your voice it is like a perfetionals voice love it
totally cool story (=
loved the story
yeah ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
It is a good story!
you should present story that can be used to teach lessons in school
this story is awesome.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this story is cool
loved the story
That
vary interesting
That
was rilly good!
nice
hi it was cool
GOOD!VERY GOOD!
I love this story!!! (Natasha you have a great voice.)
fantastis…..!!
Dear Cattien, Many thanks for your comments. I’m glad you like Gladys ! We are just working on the next episode, but it won’t be recorded in time for this weekend, so it will be the one after.
natasha and bertie please reply
*_*
:(WOOPS!It’s suposed to be vertical.:(
to:Storynory Stories Talltales Optional Read Natasha Oral Radical Yay
Dear Lauren, you can always email us at bertie@storynory.com
Hi Simar, Thumbelina was written in Denmark
:cute:Hey Natasha!Have you ever heard of Beatrix Potter!?:cute:
well she didn’t write the story, but she made it up as a story to be told, so yeah.
I love that story.
Bertie, my mom wrote a story called:
The Golden Squirrel
I was wondering if you could give me your e-mail address so I can send it to you to see what you think?
Please! I would be so happy if you read it!
see you
Hi, this story was great! I loved it! Was it written in England or France?
this story is nice i love it and i want to read it agin agin and agin i love tis story!!
i love this story!
Hi Dena, I know – they always have that Prince William with his toothy grin on TV, but one day, when you see a green prince with a long tongue eating flies, that will be me.
Thank you for a wonderful story Bertie and Natasha!
And I almost forget is Bertie a real prince because I never ever saw him on television!
i love bertie!
Hi Salwa, Yes, I do see what you mean about sound effects.
I have read a lot of theses story and listened to them but this one was.. Very good. I always like to hear your voice it sounds like silver bells ringing every hour.
best regards
Sabrina
this was a beautifu dtory but it could use a bit of sound expressions.thanks
Best wishes
Thanks Heider, you’re welcome!
I loved reading Thumbelina, its such a beautiful story
Best wishes
Natasha
thanks a lot of
Natasha
accept best regards