Text view

THUMBELINA

- HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

In the lake floated a large tulip leaf. This was Thumbelina's little boat. Seated there she sailed from side to side of her little lake, rowing cleverly with two white horse hairs. As she rowed backward and forward she sang softly to herself. The woman listening heard, and thought she had never known so sweet a song.
And now such a sad thing happened.
In through a broken window-pane hopped a big toad—oh, such an ugly big toad! She hopped right on to the table, where Thumbelina lay dreaming in her tiny cradle, under the pale pink rose leaf.
"How beautiful the little maiden is," she croaked. "She will make a lovely bride for my handsome son." And she lifted the little cradle, with Thumbelina in it, and hopped out through the broken window-pane, and down into the little garden.
At the foot of the garden was a broad stream. Here, under the muddy banks, lived the old toad with her son.

License information: nan
MPAA: G
Go to source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25359/25359-h/25359-h.htm#THUMBELINA

Text difficulty