Tricia Browne
Thumbelina:
In this version of Thumbelina, Thumbelina still emerges from the flower of barleycorn given to a peasant’s wife by a beggar woman. She is still kidnapped in her walnut-shell cradle in the night by a toad who wants her as a bride for her son. And is helped to escape by a nice fish and butterfly.
My version follows the story line till she is left to protect herself from the elements. Out of survival she teaches herself methods of hunting and getting used to eating certain foods she watches how the other animals/bugs live and adapts.
One day she is given shelter by a field mouse. Who tells her about a people who are in danger of being attacked constantly they have a small army but they still need more people to protect them. Thumbelina sets out to search for them with a little guidance from the mouse telling her the direction to go. When she finds them she offers her help. She shows them her skilled as a warrior and they train her further when he is finished she sprouts wings and is given the ability to fly alongside the other warriors which includes the prince of their people. She had been trained by him and some others.
