Bedtime Story: Thumbelina

Thumbelina is about a tiny girl. She has several adventures with a toad, a mole, a field mouse and other creatures of field and forest. At the end, she meets and falls in love with a flower-fairy prince just her size.

This bedtime story has been infused with healing energies that will help you relax and let go, allowing you to fall asleep quickly and sleep deeply. They will continue to work their healing magic long after the story ends, long into the night. Healing you while you sleep, enjoy!

Transcript

Thumbelina is about a tiny girl.

She has several adventures with a toad,

A mole,

A field mouse,

And other creatures of field and forest.

And at the end she meets and falls in love with a flower fairy prince just her size.

Welcome to this soothing sleep story,

A childhood favorite called Thumbelina.

My name is Lisa Watley and it's a pleasure to be here with you,

Ending the day together.

So let's settle in and get comfortable.

This bedtime story,

As with all my sleep stories and meditations,

Has been infused with healing energies that will help you relax and let go,

Allowing you to fall asleep quickly and to sleep deeply.

These energies will continue to work their healing magic long after the story ends,

Long into the night,

Healing you while you sleep.

And there is nothing you need to do to receive these loving energies,

Just listen to the story.

Pushing aside the outside world,

Allowing yourself to be in this moment within the story,

Allowing yourself to dive deep into your imagination as the story unfolds,

Drifting quickly and peacefully into your inner world,

The space where magic happens.

Now,

Tonight's bedtime story is a vintage fairy tale originally published in 1835 called Thumbelina and shared by Hans Christian Andersen.

And now,

Be sure to make yourself as comfy as possible,

Snuggling deep into your warm,

Soft bed.

And know that when the story ends,

The music will continue to play and then,

Just like you,

It will simply fade away.

Now,

If you are tucked in and ready for a wonderful,

Deep,

Peaceful and healing sleep,

Close your eyes and let's get sleepy together.

Sweet dreams,

My friend.

So as old tales go,

Once upon a time,

A long,

Long time ago,

There was a woman who wished very much to have a child.

One day she went to a fairy and asked,

I would very much like to have a child.

Can you tell me where I can find one?

Oh,

Why yes,

That can be easily managed my dear,

Said the fairy.

I want you to take this barley corn and now understand it is not exactly the same sort as those which grow in the farmer's fields and which the chickens eat.

No,

Not this.

This is magical.

So listen carefully.

I want you to put it into a flower pot in the sunlight and then I want you to watch what happens.

Oh,

I thank you said the woman and she gave the fairy 12 coins for the barley corn.

Then she went home and planted it and there grew up a large,

Beautiful flower,

Somewhat like a tulip in appearance,

But with its leaves tightly closed as if it were still a bud.

It is a very beautiful flower,

Said the woman and she kissed the red and golden colored petals.

And as she did the flower opened and she could see that it was a real tulip.

But within the flower upon the green velvet stamens,

Set a very delicate and graceful little maiden.

She was barely half as long as a thumb.

So the woman gave her the name Thumbelina.

An elegantly polished walnut shell was used as her cradle.

Her bed was made with blue,

Violet leaves and a rose leaf was used as a blanket.

Here Thumbelina slept at night,

But during the day she amused herself on a table where the woman had placed a plate full of water.

All around this plate were wreaths of flowers and in the water floated a large tulip leaf,

Which Thumbelina used as a boat.

Here she sat and wrote herself from side to side with two oars made of white horsehair.

Thumbelina could sing so soft and sweet that nothing like her singing had ever before been heard.

One night while Thumbelina lay in her pretty bed,

A large old toad snuck through a broken pane of glass in the window and jumped right upon the table where she lay sleeping under her rose leaf blanket.

What a pretty little wife she would make for my son,

Said the old toad and she snatched the walnut shell in which Thumbelina lay asleep and then jumped through the window with it and Thumbelina back into the garden.

The old toad and her son lived in the garden beside a stream in the swamp and when he saw Thumbelina lying in her tiny little bed he could only say,

Grog grog.

Don't speak so loud or she will wake,

Said the mother toad and then she might run away for she is as light as swans down.

Oh my son that gave me an idea.

We will place her on one of the water lily leaves out in the stream.

This will be like her own private island to her.

She is so light and small she cannot escape and while she is out there we will quickly prepare the stateroom under the marsh as that my son is where you will live when you are married.

Far out in the stream grew a number of water lilies with broad green leaves which seemed to float on the top of the water.

The largest of these leaves appeared farther off than the rest and old mother toad swam out to it with the walnut shell in which Thumbelina still lay asleep.

Thumbelina woke very early in the morning and began to cry bitterly when she found out where she was for she could see nothing but water on every side of the large green leaf and there was no way of reaching the land.

Meanwhile the old mother toad was very busy under the marsh decorating Thumbelina's soon to be new room with rushes and yellow wild flowers to make it look really pretty for her new daughter in law.

The old toad swam out with her son to the leaf on which she had placed poor Thumbelina because she wanted the pretty walnut bed to put in the bridal chamber to be ready for Thumbelina.

Upon reaching Thumbelina old mother toad bowed low to her in the water and said here is my son he will be your husband and you will live happily together in the marsh by the stream.

And again croak croak was all her son could say for himself.

So mother toad snatched the little walnut bed and swam away with it leaving Thumbelina all alone on the green leaf where she sat and cried.

She could not bear to think of living with the old toad and having her son for a husband.

All the little fish who swam about in the water beneath Thumbelina had seen the old toad and they heard what she said.

So now they lifted their heads above the water to look at Thumbelina and as soon as they caught sight of her they saw that she was very pretty and it annoyed and distressed them to think that she has been forced to go and live with the toads.

No it must not be so they gathered together in the water around the green stalk which held the leaf that Thumbelina stood upon and they nodded away at the root with their teeth.

The leaf was free and it floated down the stream carrying Thumbelina far away from the old toad and her son.

Thumbelina sailed past many towns and the little birds in the bushes saw her and sang what a lovely little creature.

The leaf gently sailed away with Thumbelina farther and farther until at last it brought her to the other lands.

A graceful little white butterfly was fluttering and swirling all around her until at last it came to rest on the leaf.

The little maiden pleased him and this made Thumbelina so happy for now the toad could no longer reach her and the country through which she sailed was beautiful and the sun shined upon the water until it glittered like liquid gold.

Thumbelina took a ribbon from her dress and tied one end of it around the butterfly and tied the other end of the ribbon to the leaf which now glided so much faster than it was before taking Thumbelina with it as she stood.

And then suddenly a large beetle flew by.

The moment he caught sight of Thumbelina he grabbed her around her delicate waist with his claws and flew with her into a tree.

Thumbelina was terrified as she watched the green leaf and butterfly float away on the brook.

She was captured once again.

The beetle sat down by Thumbelina's side on a large green leaf,

Gave her some honey from the flowers to eat and told her she was very pretty though not in the least like a beetle.

After a while all the beetles who lived in the tree came to visit Thumbelina but they just stared at her at first and then they became very rude and quite mean.

The young lady beetles turned up their feelers and said she has only two legs now how ugly is that?

And she has no feelers giggled another and her waist is so small she just looks like a human being.

I'm sorry but she is just so ugly said another of the lady beetles and the beetle who had snatched her away from the butterfly he believed everything that all of the others were saying and he didn't want anything more to do with her.

Being different from the beetles was truly a blessing in disguise for Thumbelina and he told her she could go wherever she wanted to then he flew down with her from the tree and placed her on a daisy.

But still she cried at the thought that she was so ugly that even the beetles would have nothing to do with her but truthfully she was really the loveliest creature that one could imagine and as tender and delicate as a beautiful rose.

Throughout the whole summer little Thumbelina lived alone in the big forest she made herself a bed by weaving blades of grass together and hung it up under a broad leaf to protect herself from the rain.

She sucked the honey from the flowers for food and she drank the dew from their leaves every morning.

Soon enough the summer passed away and then autumn and then came the winter the long long cold winter.

All the birds who had sung to her so sweetly had flown away and the trees and the flowers had withered.

The large shamrock under the shelter of which she had lived was now rolled together and shriveled up nothing remained but a yellow withered stalk.

She felt dreadfully cold for her clothes were torn and she was herself so frail and delicate that she was nearly frozen to death and it began to snow and as the snowflakes fell upon her they were like whole shovel folds because she was only an inch tall each snowflake was almost as big as she was.

She wrapped herself in a dry leaf but it cracked in the middle so it couldn't keep her warm she shivered with cold.

Near the forest in which she had been living was a large cornfield but the corn had been cut a long time ago so nothing remained but the bare dry stubble standing up out of the frozen ground.

For her it was like struggling through a large forest.

Oh how she shivered with the cold.

She came at last to the door of a field mouse who had a little den under the corn stubble.

There lived the field mouse in warmth and comfort with the whole room full of corn a kitchen and a beautiful dining room.

Poor Thumbelina stood before the door and asked for just a small piece of barley corn because she had been without food to eat for two days.

You poor little creature said the field mouse come into my warm room and dine with me.

She was pleased with Thumbelina so she said you are quite welcome to stay with me all winter if you like but you must keep my rooms clean and neat and tell me stories for I would love to hear them.

And Thumbelina did all that the field mouse asked of her and found herself very comfortable.

As days passed on the field mouse said to Thumbelina one day we shall have a visitor soon.

My neighbor comes to visit me once a week.

He is better off than I am.

He has large rooms and wears a beautiful black velvet coat.

If you could only have him for a husband you would be very well provided for indeed but he is blind so you must tell him some of your prettiest stories.

Thumbelina did not feel at all interested about this neighbor for he was a mole.

However he came and paid his visit dressed in his black velvet coat.

He is very rich,

Smart and kind and his house is twenty times larger than mine said the field mouse.

Yes indeed he was rich and smart no doubt but he rarely spoke of the sun and the pretty flowers because he had never seen them.

Thumbelina would sing to him many pretty songs and the mole fell in love with her because she had such a sweet voice but he said nothing yet for he was very prudent and cautious.

Soon after the mole had dug a long hallway under the earth which led from the dwelling of the field mouse to his own and here the mole had given the field mouse permission to walk with Thumbelina whenever she liked but he warned them not to be alarmed at the sight of a dead bird which lay in the hallway.

It was a beautiful bird with different shades of gray and brown feathers and chestnut brown flanking its crown on both sides of its head with a black beak and throat.

It couldn't have been dead long it was lying just where the mole had made his hallway.

The mole took in his mouth a piece of decaying fox fire wood which glittered like flames in the dark.

He went before them to light the way through the long dark hallway.

When they came to the spot where the dead bird lay the mole pushed his broad nose through the ceiling so that the earth gave way and the daylight shone into the hallway.

In the middle of the floor lay the swallow,

His beautiful wings pulled close to his sides,

His feet and head drawn up under his feathers.

The poor bird had evidently died of the cold.

It made little Thumbelina very sad to see this as she so loved the little birds.

All summer they had sung and twittered for her so beautifully.

But the mole pushed it aside with his crooked legs and said,

Well I guess he will sing no more now.

How miserable it must be to be born a little bird.

I am thankful that none of my children will ever be birds for they can do nothing but cry tweet tweet and must always die of hunger in the winter.

Yes exclaimed the field mouse what is the use of his twittering if when winter comes he must either starve or be frozen to death.

Thumbelina said nothing but when the two others had turned their backs upon the bird she kneeled down and stroked the soft feathers which covered his head and she kissed his closed eyelids.

Perhaps this was the one who sang to me so sweetly in the summer she said and how much pleasure it gave me you dear pretty bird.

The mole plugged up the hole through which the daylight shone and then returned the ladies to their home.

But during the night Thumbelina could not sleep so she got up out of bed and wove a large beautiful carpet of hay.

She carried it to the dead bird and spread it over him along with some down from the flowers which she had found in the field mouse's home.

It was as soft as wool and she spread some of it on each side of the bird so that he may lie warmly on the cold earth.

Farewell pretty little bird she said farewell thank you for your delightful singing during the summer when all the trees were green and the warm sun shone upon us.

Then she laid her head on the bird's chest but she was alarmed for it seemed as if something inside the bird went thump thump.

It was the bird's heart he was not really dead only be numbed with the cold the warmth had restored him to life.

In autumn all the swallows fly away into the warm countries but if one happens to linger the cold seizes it and it becomes chilled and falls down as if dead.

It remains where it fell and then the cold snow covers it.

The bird had trembled she was quite frightened for the bird was large a great deal larger than herself remember she's only an inch tall but she took courage and laid the wool more thickly over the poor swallow and then she took a leaf which she had used for her own blanket and laid it over his head.

The next night she again stole out to see him he was alive but very weak he could only open his eyes for a moment to look at Thumbelina who stood by holding a piece of glowing decayed wood in her hand for she had no other lantern.

Thank you pretty little maiden said the sick swallow.

I have been so nicely warmed that soon I shall regain my strength and be able to fly about again into the warm sunshine.

Oh she said no it's cold outside now it's snowing and freezing stay in your warm bed and I will take care of you.

She brought the swallow some water and a flower leaf and after he had drank some he told her that he had wounded one of his wings in a thorn bush and could not fly as fast as the others who were on their journey to warmer countries.

Eventually he had fallen to the earth and could not remember nothing more nor how he came to be where she had found him.

All winter the swallow remained underground and Thumbelina nursed him with care and love.

She did not tell neither the mole or the field mouse anything about him for they did not like swallows.

Very soon the springtime came and the sun warmed the earth.

Then the sparrow bade farewell to Thumbelina and she opened the hole in the ceiling which the mole had made.

The sun shone in upon them so beautifully that the swallow asked her if she would go with him.

She could sit on his back he said and he would fly away with her into the beautiful green forest.

But she knew it would sadden the field mouse if she left her in that manner.

So she said no no I cannot.

Farewell then farewell you good pretty little maiden said the sparrow and he flew out into the sunshine.

Thumbelina looked after him and tears rose in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

She was very fond of the beautiful swallow.

Tweet tweet sang the bird as he flew out into the green forest and Thumbelina felt very sad.

She was not allowed to go out into the warm sunshine because the corn which had been sowed in the field over the house of the field mouse had grown up high into the air and formed a thick forest to Thumbelina.

So back in her home now thinking about the sparrow and the beautiful sunshine the field mouse said you are going to be married little one.

My neighbor has asked for you what good fortune for a poor lady like you.

Now we will prepare your wedding clothes they must be woolen and linen.

You must have only the best when you are the wife of the mole.

Thumbelina had to turn the spindle and the field mouse hired four spiders who were to weave day and night.

Every evening the mole visited her and was continually speaking of the time when the summer would be over and the mole would keep his wedding day with Thumbelina.

But now the heat of the sun was so great that it burned the earth and made it hard like stone.

As soon as summer was over the wedding should take place but Thumbelina was not at all pleased for she did not like the tiresome mole.

Every morning when the sun rose and every evening when it went down she would creep out the door and as the wind blew aside the ears of corn so that she could see the blue sky she thought how beautiful and bright it seemed out there and wished so much to see her dear friend the sparrow again but he never returned for by this time he had flown far away into the lovely green forest.

When autumn arrived Thumbelina had her outfit ready and the field mouse said to her in four weeks the wedding must take place.

Thumbelina cried and said she would not marry the disagreeable mole.

Well that's nonsense replied the field mouse.

Now don't be stubborn he is a very handsome mole the queen herself does not wear more beautiful velvets and furs his kitchens and cellars are quite full you ought to be very thankful for such a good fortune.

So the wedding day was fixed on which the mole was to take her away to live with him deep under the earth and never again to see the warm sun because he did not like it.

Poor Thumbelina was very unhappy at the thought of saying farewell to the beautiful sun and as the field mouse had given her permission to stand at the door she went to look at it once more.

Farewell bright sun she cried stretching out her arm towards it and then she walked a short distance from the house for the corn had been cut and only the dry stubble remained in the fields.

Farewell farewell she repeated wrapping her arm around a little red flower that grew just by her side.

Greet the little sparrow from me if you should see him again.

Tweet tweet sounded over her head suddenly she looked up and there was the sparrow himself flying close by.

As soon as he spied Thumbelina he was delighted.

Thumbelina told him how unwilling she was to marry the mole and to live always beneath the earth never more to see the bright sun and as she told him she cried.

Listen the cold winter is coming said the sparrow and I am going to fly away into warmer countries will you go with me you can sit on my back and fasten yourself on with your sash then we can fly away from the mole in his gloomy rooms far away over the mountains into warmer countries where the sun shines more brightly than here where it is always summer and the flowers bloom in greater beauty.

Come with me fly with me now Thumbelina you saved my life when I lay frozen in that dark dreary hallway now let me save yours from the old mole in his dark gloomy home far into the earth.

Yes I will go with you said Thumbelina and she hopped on the bird's back and sat down with her feet on his outstretched wings and tied a ribbon from her dress to one of his strongest feathers.

The sparrow rose in the air and flew over forest and over sea high above the highest mountains covered with eternal snow.

Thumbelina would have been frozen in the cold air but she snuggled under the bird's warm feathers keeping her little head uncovered so that she could admire the beautiful lands over which they passed.

At last they finally reached the warm countries where the sun shines brightly and the sky seems so much higher above the earth.

Here on the beautiful vines grew purple green and white grapes lemons and oranges hung from trees in the fields and the air was fragnant with myrtles and orange blossoms.

Beautiful children ran along the country lanes playing with large beautiful butterflies and as the sparrow flew farther and farther every place appeared still more lovely.

At long last they came to a crystal clear aqua blue lake and by the side of it shaded by trees of the deepest green stood a palace of dazzling white marble built long long ago.

Vines clustered around its lofty pillars and at the top were many sparrows nests.

One of these was the home of the sparrow who carried Thumbelina.

This he said is my house but it would not do for you to live here you would not be comfortable high up here you must choose for yourself one of those lovely flowers on the ground and I will put you down upon it and then you shall have everything that you can wish to make you happy.

Oh that would be wonderful she said and clapped her little hands for joy.

A large marble pillar lay on the ground which when it fell had been broken into three pieces.

Between these pieces grew the most beautiful large white flowers so the sparrow flew down with Thumbelina and placed her on one of the broad flowers but how surprised she was to see in the middle of the flower a tiny little man as white and transparent as if he had been made of crystal.

He had a gold crown on his head and delicate wings at his shoulders and was not much larger than she was herself.

He was the angel of the flower for a tiny man and a tiny woman dwell in every flower and this was the king of them all.

Oh how beautiful he is whispered Thumbelina to the sparrow.

The little prince was at first quite frightened of the bird who was like a giant compared to such a delicate little creature as himself but when he saw Thumbelina he was delighted and he thought she was the prettiest little maiden he had ever seen.

He took the gold crown from his head and placed it on hers and asked her her name and then immediately asked her if she would be his wife and queen over all the flowers.

This certainly was a very different sort of husband from the son of the toad or the mole with his black velvet and fur so she said yes to the handsome prince.

Then all the flowers opened and out of each came a little lady or a little lord all so pretty.

Each of them brought Thumbelina a present but the best gift was a pair of beautiful wings which had belonged to a large white fly and they fastened them to Thumbelina's shoulders so that she might fly from flower to flower.

Then there was much rejoicing and the little sparrow who sat above them in his nest was asked to sing a wedding song which he did as well as he could but in his heart he felt sad for he was very fond of Thumbelina and would have liked never to part from her again.

You must not be called Thumbelina anymore said the spirit of the flowers to her it is not a very pretty name and you are so very lovely therefore we will call you Maya.

Farewell,

Farewell said the sparrow with a heavy heart as he left the warm countries to fly back into Denmark.

There he had a nest over the window of a house in which dwelt the writer of fairy tales.

The sparrow sang tweet tweet and from his song came this whole story and that's the end of tonight's magical vintage fairy tale.

Now it's time to sleep and let go completely.

It's the right time to drift on down into deep and restorative sleep.

Your body more and more deeply relaxed.

Drifting down heading into deep and healing sleep.

Feeling more sleepy it's time to let go.

Just let go and sleep.

Many blessings and sweet dreams my friend and until we meet again with peace and love from my world to yours.

Namaste.

Reviews

Ba
Such a beautiful story . Thank you for sharing ✨️ 💛

Thank you 🙏🏻 Lisa, you have a beautiful voice which is a pleasure to listen too. A beautiful story which allowed me to fall back to sleep in the middle of the night. Thank you so much 😊

This story is so soothing that I feel asleep before it even started… definitely, 100% recommend .

This is awesome. So wonderful to fall asleep to. Thanks

Delightful. My daughter loves this! Many thanks Lisa 🙏❤️

Wow thank you so much and feeling so sick. This brought joy back to me. The power of a story is so healing and inspiring

This is my go to for falling asleep…I’ve never heard the ending! 😂

Just love this story

Lovely

Wonderful storytelling! 🍄🧚🙏🏼

Great voice, calming and clear!