Hans Christian Andersen’s tale featuring a girl who is only a thumb’s height is Thumbelina. The story was first published in 1835 in Copenhagen.
Thumbelina is born from a flower after a woman receives a magical seed from a witch. Because of her tiny size, she encounters dangers and unwanted attempts to control her future. A toad tries to make her the bride of its son, while a field mouse arranges a marriage to a mole.
The story differs from many traditional quest tales because its heroine’s smallness is both a vulnerability and a defining feature. She is eventually helped by a swallow, which carries her to a warmer land. There she meets a flower-fairy king and receives the name Maia in some translations.
Translations vary in names and wording, so readers may encounter Tommelise, Thumbelina, or other forms. The central image remains consistent: Andersen’s heroine is extraordinarily small, yet she travels through a large and threatening world.