Thumbelina's New Home

Thumbelina’s New Home

Mrs. Marigold took very good care of Thumbelina. “ You are tiny, so I must keep my eye on you, ” said Mrs. Marigold. Every morning she took Thumbelina into the garden. Thumbelina liked to sit next to her mother. “ Give me a rose seed, dear, ” Mrs. Marigold said one day.

“ I’m strong, Mother, ” Thumbelina replied. “ I can pass you three. ” Gardening took much longer with her daughter helping. But Mrs. Marigold didn’t care. She was happy to have Thumbelina. Her daughter also liked to help Mrs. Marigold cook.

“ Thumbelina, pass me the salt, ” Mrs. Marigold said one day as she made dinner. “ This salt shaker is heavy, ” gasped Thumbelina. “ But I can do it! ” Thumbelina pushed the salt shaker to Mrs. Marigold. On hot days, Thumbelina loved playing in the water. One afternoon Mrs. Marigold filled a bowl with water.

Then she set the bowl on the windowsill. Soon Thumbelina was floating in an acorn shell, singing happily. A toad was hopping along outside, and it stopped under Mrs. Marigold’s open window. “ What’s that beautiful sound?” the toad, Mrs. Burp, said to herself. “ It’s coming from that window. ”

So Mrs. Burp jumped onto a flowerbox under the window. She peeked around a flower and looked up. “ Why, it’s a tiny girl with an angel’s voice, ” said the toad. “ She’s very pretty too. ” Mrs. Burp returned to the flowerbox many times.