Hans Christian Andersen’s tale about a tiny flower fairy who escapes a mole with help from a swallow is Thumbelina.
The story was first published in 1835 in Andersen’s collection of fairy tales. Thumbelina is born from a flower and is small enough to live among flowers, insects, and other creatures. After being abducted by a toad, she faces a series of unwanted arrangements made by animals around her.
One major episode involves a marriage planned with a mole, whose underground life would trap Thumbelina away from sunlight and flowers. A swallow carries her to a warmer land, where she meets a flower-fairy prince of her own size.
The character is often confused with diminutive heroines from other folklore traditions, but Thumbelina is an original Andersen creation. Unlike some adaptations, the original tale includes several difficult episodes before its happy ending and does not begin with a human child shrinking through magic.