Thumbelina, a lonely woman, receives a magical seed from a good witch, leading to the birth of a tiny girl named Thumbelina. Kidnapped by a frog, she escapes with the help of minnows and befriends a field mouse. Later, she rejects a mole's proposal and nurses a bird back to health. Eventually, she flies away with the bird to a fairy kingdom where she becomes the Flower Queen and lives happily with the Flower King.
1. **Minnesota College Savings Plan**: The story is supported by the Minnesota College Savings Plan, the official 529 program for the state of Minnesota.
2. **Lonely Old Woman**: An old woman, living alone in a village, felt lonely because she had no children.
3. **Good Witch's Gift**: A good witch gave the old woman a tiny seed, which she planted in her garden. The seed grew into a beautiful flower after the woman cared for it as instructed.
4. **Thumbelina's Creation**: Inside the flower, a tiny girl named Thumbelina emerged, no bigger than the woman's thumb.
5. **Thumbelina's Caretaker**: The old woman took care of Thumbelina, providing her with a walnut shell bed and flower petal blankets.
6. **Kidnapping by Frog**: Thumbelina was kidnapped by a frog who wanted her to marry his son. She was taken to a lily pad in a river.
7. **Minnows' Rescue**: Two minnows rescued Thumbelina by chewing her lily pad until it broke free, allowing her to escape from the frog.
8. **Field Mouse's Shelter**: Thumbelina found shelter with a field mouse, who provided her with food and a warm place to stay.
9. **Mole's Proposal**: Mr. Mole, rich and looking for a bride, proposed to Thumbelina, but she was not interested.
10. **Bird's Rescue**: Thumbelina nursed a wounded bird back to health, and the bird later rescued her from the mole's hole.
11. **Flower King's Proposal**: Thumbelina was asked by the Flower King to be his queen, and she accepted. They lived happily ever after, caring for the flowers in the garden.
12. **Happy Ending**: Thumbelina and the Flower King lived happily ever after in the fairy kingdom, tending to the flowers.