英语童话故事-拇指姑娘

Long time ago and far away, there lived a woman and her husband. The woman was very sad for she had no children.

One day she sat by her window. \" I wish I had a daughter,\" she sighed. \"Even if she were only the size of my thumb.\"

Now the fairies heard her, and because the woman was good and kind, they granted her wish.

The next morning, on the windowsill, was a flowerpot with a beautiful flower growing.

The woman watched as the flower opened, and there nestled in the petals was a beautiful girl -- just the size of the woman\'s thumb!

The woman was very happy and she made clothes for her, and a bed from a walnut shell. The girl ate tiny amounts -- a crumb was like a loaf to her!

\"I shall call you Thumbelina,\" said the woman.

Somebody else watched Thumbelina -- the toad from the brook. She was looking for a wife for her son, and Thumbelina was perfect.

One night she came and stole Thumbelina away while she was sleeping. She crept through a broken window pane and dragged away the walnut shell.

Thumbelina awoke near the toad\'s hole by the brook.

\"Your are to be my son\'s wife,\" said the old toad. \"He will take you to his hold later today.\"

Thumbelina did not want to be a toad\'s wife, and looked around for help. A butterfly took pity on her and said, \"Jump on this leaf and I\'ll drag it downstream away from the toads.

Thumbelina was so small and light that the butterfly could easily drag the leaf. Thumbelina escaped from the toads, but she was still far from home.

When the leaf stopped against the bank, she jumped off and began to look for somewhere to stay.

It was summer, and very warm and there was plenty of fruit to eat in the hedgerows. It was mild at night, so Thumbelina wandered on look

king for a new home.

But summer soon ended, and autumn cam. the days grew colder, and so did the nights. Thumbelina summer dress was worn out, and she felt cold all the time.

One warmer day she wandered into a cornfield. The corn had been cut, and she could walk through the stubble. She sat in the sunshine and cried.

\"What\'s wrong, my dear?\" squeaked a small voice.

Thumbelina looked up. It was a field mouse.

\"Winter\'s coming and I have nowhere to go,\" said Thumbelina.

The fieldmouse lived all alone, and very much wanted someone to keep her company for the winter months.

\"I have a spare room,\" she said. \"You could stay there, if you\'ll help me around the house.\"

\"Of course,\" said Thumbelina. \"I\'ll help as much as I can. Thank you.\"

Thumbelina was very happy with the fieldmouse. They shared all the housework and Thumbelina had her own room, new clothes and someone to talk to. She told the fieldmouse about her adventures so far.

\"My, what a busy life you\'ve had!\" said the fieldmouse. \" you must meet my friend, Mr. Mole. He\'ll tell you all sorts of things. A very distinguished fellow is Mr. Mole.\"

Mr. Mole came to visit several times over the winter. The ground above their heads was cold and hard, but he came in the tunnels he had dug in the summer.

\" you must come and see my home,\" he said to Thumbelina.

When he had gone, the fieldmouse was very excited.

\"He\'s never done that before,\" she squeaked. \"No one has been invited to him home before. He must like you. You could do no worse than marry him, you know.\"

Thumbelina was horrified. She did not want to be married to Mr. Mole. He had already told her how much he hated the sunshine and flowers. Thumbelina loved flowers and the warm sun.