The Adventures of Tom Thumb
The Beginning of the Conflict
Once upon a time, there was a giant who argued with a very greedy wizard over a treasure. After the argument, the giant threateningly told the wizard:
— I could crush you under my thumb if I wanted to! Now get out of my sight!
The wizard left in a hurry, but from a safe distance, he shouted his cruel revenge:
— Abracadabra! Here I cast this spell! May the son your wife will soon bear you not grow taller than my thumb!
— This child is not a giant at all! — Shhh! But he is our child, no matter how small he is.
The Birth of Tom Thumb
After Tom Thumb was born, his parents' patience was sorely tested. They could never find him, as they could barely see him.
— Where has he gone? — Shhh! Speak softly.
They had to speak in whispers for fear of deafening the tiny boy.
— I'm here, Father! You never see me. — I'm sorry, son!
The Adventures of Little Tom
Tom Thumb preferred to play with the tiny creatures in the garden rather than the company of his parents, who were so different from him.
— Hello, snail! What are you doing?
He rode on a snail and danced with ladybugs. As small as he was, he had a wonderful time in the world of the little ones.
But on one unlucky day, he went to visit a frog. As soon as he landed on a leaf, a big pike swallowed him whole.
— Mmm, how tasty!
But the pike was also destined for a tragic end.
— Oh, no! Help!
A little later, it took the bait cast by one of the king's fishermen and quickly found itself under the chef's knife in the royal kitchens.
Tom at the Royal Court
— Ah! Ah! Ah! Finally, fresh air! That fish smelled awful.
And great was everyone's surprise when out of the belly of a fish came Tom Thumb, alive and unharmed by this adventure.
— Ho! What is this? — Oh, I am Tom, sir! Greetings! — What am I to do with this tiny fellow?
Then, an idea came to him.
— Aha! He can be a royal servant! He is so small. I can put him on the cake I'm making. When he marches across the bridge, blowing a trumpet, everyone will marvel. — Oh! What is that? Is it real? It's magic!
Never before had such a wonder been seen at court. The guests happily applauded the chef's talent, and the king himself applauded the loudest.
— Fantastic! What a marvel! Here you go!
The king rewarded the skillful chef with a bag of gold. Tom Thumb was even luckier.
— Well, Tom! You've made me a hero!
The chef made him a servant, and a servant he remained, enjoying all the honors of the position.
— Here, Tom! This is yours from now on. And this is the sword for your protection. — Wonderful! Thank you, chief! — Here's some royal food too! The King eats this. — Mmm! Wow! How good this is!
Tom received the best things, and in return, he marched up and down at festive tables, which he also loved to do.
— How do you do, esteemed sir? — Very well, Tom! Nice costume!
Tom twirled happily. He whistled when he saw a woman.
— Madam, your beauty is divine!
The woman giggled.
— Oh, how fun, Tom! You're the best!
The Cat's Envy
— Oh, how I hate Tom! He stole my king!
He walked among plates and glasses, amusing the guests with his trumpet. What Tom Thumb didn't know was that he had made an enemy. The cat, who until Tom's arrival had been the king's pet, was now forgotten.
— I will not spare you, Tom!
And vowing revenge on the newcomer, it pounced on Tom in the garden.
— Run, Tom! Flee the palace for your life! — Uh, I don't think so. — Ah!
When Tom saw the cat, he didn't run, as the creature wanted. He drew his golden needle and mounted his white mouse.
— Attack! Attack! — Ah! My bottom!
Stung by the tiny sword, the cat turned and left. Since brute force was not the way to revenge, the cat decided to use trickery.
The Cat's Trap
— Tom has a sword, but I have a mind! I will finish him with my cunning!
Pretending to bump into the king as he descended the stairs, the cat meowed softly.
— Meow! — Kitty, be careful! — No, Sire, you be careful! Keep your eyes peeled! A plot is being hatched against you! — What do you mean? Be careful of whom? What plot?
And then it told a terrible lie.
— Tom Thumb is planning to poison your food with hemlock! I saw him picking the leaves in the garden the other day. — What? — Yes, Your Majesty! I heard him say these words. Now the king will be in bed with great stomach pains after eating so many cherries. — Oh, how mean of Tom! I really liked him! — But it seems he doesn't like you, Your Majesty! Meow!
The king was afraid of being poisoned. So he sent his guard after Tom Thumb.
— Summon him at once! — Ha! He pricked me with his sword, and now he'll have to face the king's sword! — Your Majesty, you called me? — Your Majesty, look!
The cat showed him proof of its words, pulling a hemlock leaf from the saddlebag on the mouse, where it had hidden it itself.
— It's not mine! — So you weren't planning to put hemlock in the king's food and poison him? — Ha!
Tom Thumb was so shocked, he lost his words to deny what the cat had said.
— Arrest him immediately!
Tom's Imprisonment
The king immediately threw him into the dungeon. And because he was so small, he locked him in a grandfather clock.
— Cursed be my luck!
Hours and days passed. Tom's only amusement was to swing back and forth, clinging to the pendulum, until one night when a large nocturnal moth fluttering around the room caught his attention.
— Dear moth, let me out!
Tom Thumb cried, tapping on the glass.
— Oh, goodness! Who are you? — I am Tom. Please help me get out! — Oh! It's awful to be trapped!
Rescue and New Home
It so happened that the moth had just been freed, after being a prisoner in a large box where it had fallen asleep. So it took pity on Tom Thumb and set him free.
— Here you go! — Thank you! — Where will you go now? — I don't know. I have nowhere to go. — Don't worry! I will take you to the kingdom of butterflies, where everyone is small like you. They will take great care of you there! — Really? Thank you very much!
And so it happened. To this day, if you visit the kingdom of butterflies, you can ask to see the butterfly monument that Tom Thumb built after his incredible adventure.
The Moral of the Story
Never lose hope when you have problems, because problems are just the beginning of an adventure.
