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Just enjoy it!
Thumbelina (4)
“Free, free! ” she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far way out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son.
And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her.
Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her.
Now she was quite happy! Birds around her, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish?
She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly.
Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! He caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree.
Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too! Would he fly away? She wondered, or would her sash hold him fast?
The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked.
But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, “She is not pretty at all.”
“She only has two legs,” said one.
“She has no feelers,” said another.
Some said she was too thin, others said she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, “How ugly she is, how ugly she is!” But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived.
Have a try!
Draw a story map and retell the story in your own words.
Just enjoy it!
Thumbelina (4)
“Free, free! ” she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far way out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son.
And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her.
Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her.
Now she was quite happy! Birds around her, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish?
She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly.
Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! He caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree.
Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too! Would he fly away? She wondered, or would her sash hold him fast?
The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked.
But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, “She is not pretty at all.”
“She only has two legs,” said one.
“She has no feelers,” said another.
Some said she was too thin, others said she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, “How ugly she is, how ugly she is!” But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived.
Have a try!
Draw a story map and retell the story in your own words.
答案
Story Map
| Characters | Thumbelina, old toad, toad's son, wild birds, white butterfly, cockchafer, other chafers |
|--------------------|----------------|
| Setting| Stream, banks with flowers, tree|
| Key Actions| 1. Thumbelina floats on a leaf down the stream, free from the toads, with birds and a butterfly accompanying her. 2. She ties her sash to the butterfly and the leaf to float further. 3. A cockchafer catches her, takes her to a tree, and feeds her honey. 4. Other chafers mock her appearance, saying she is ugly (with only two legs, no feelers), though she is actually pretty. |
| Ending | Thumbelina is left on the tree, judged unfairly by the chafers despite her beauty.|
Retell the Story
Thumbelina sang "Free, free!" as she floated down the stream on a leaf, escaping the ugly old toad and her son. Wild birds sang, harebells bowed, and a white butterfly settled beside her. She tied her sash to the butterfly and the leaf to float farther, but a cockchafer suddenly grabbed her, carrying her to a tree. The cockchafer thought she was beautiful, feeding her honey and praising her. However, other chafers in the tree mocked her, saying she had only two legs, no feelers, and was too thin or fat. Though Thumbelina was the daintiest maiden alive, the chafers buzzed that she was ugly, leaving her alone on the tree.
