Therewasonceawomanwhohadthegreatestlongingforalittletinychild,butshehadnoideawheretogetone; soshewenttoanoldwitchandsaidtoher,"Idosolongtohavealittlechild,willyoutellmewhereIcangetone?" "Oh,weshallbeabletomanagethat,"saidthewitch."Hereisabarleycornforyou; itisnotatallthesamekindasthatwhichgrowsinthepeasant'sfield,orwithwhichchickensarefed;plantitinaflowerpotandyouwillseewhatwillappear." "Thankyou,oh,thankyou!"saidthewoman,andshegavethewitchtwelvepennies, thenwenthomeandplantedthebarleycorn,andalarge,handsomeflowersprangupatonce; itlookedexactlylikeatulip,butthepetalsweretightlyshutup,justasiftheywerestillinbud. "Thatisalovelyflower,"saidthewoman,andshekissedtheprettyredandyellowpetals; asshekissedit,theflowerburstopenwithaloudsnap. Itwasarealtulip.Youcanseethat; butrightinthemiddleofthefloweronthegreenstoolsatalittletinygirl,mostlovelyanddelicate; shewasnotmorethananinchinheight,soshewascalledThumbelisa. Hercradlewasasmartlyvarnishedwalnutshell,withthebluepetalsofvioletsforamattressandarose-leaftocoverher; shesleptinitatnight,butduringtheday,sheplayedaboutonthetablewherethewomanhadplacedaplate, surroundedbyawreathofflowersontheouteredgewiththeirstalksinwater. AlargetulippetalfloatedonthewaterandonthislittleThumbelisasatandsailedaboutfromonesideoftheplatetotheother; shehadtwowhitehorsehairsforoars. Shecouldsing,too,withsuchdelicacyandcharmaswasneverheardbefore. Onenight,asshelayinherprettybed,agreatuglytoadhoppedinatthewindow,fortherewasabrokenpane. Ugh!Howhideousthatgreatwettoadwas; ithoppedrightdownonthetablewhereThumbelisalayfastasleep,undertheredrose-leaf. "Hereisalovelywifeformyson,"saidthetoad, andthenshetookupthewalnutshellwhereThumbelisasleptandhoppedawaywithitthroughthewindow,downintothegarden. Agreatbroadstreamranthroughit,butjustattheedgeitwasswampyandmuddy,anditwasherethatthetoadlivedwithherson. Ugh!Howuglyandhideoushewastoo,exactlylikehismother. "Koax,koax,brekke-ke-kex,"thatwasallhehadtosaywhenhesawthelovelylittlegirlinthewalnutshell. 
