Growing up, one does not consider that the fairytales that they love have been around for many generations. One also does not consider that these fairytales are loved by others all over the world, in cultures much different from their own. Thumbelina, for example, was written by Dutch author Hans Christian Andersen in 1835. Often recognized by its Danish name of Tommelise, Thumbelina has expanded worldwide since its initial release. In England, there is a similar tale called Tom Thumb; in Italy, it is called Little Chick-Pea; in Japan, Little One Inch, and in Norway, Doll in the Grass. All of these tales are classified as Aarne-Thompson 700: Tom Thumb; which is defined as any tale that possesses an under-average heighted person born of magical assistance as the main character. An analysis of these tales reveals that the differences of each story are rooted in the historical and literary movements of the time each tale was written. However, the tales are still unified in the common elements found in the original narrative.
Tom Thumb is recognized as being the original “small people” story, presumably written by Richard Johnson. A character of English folklore, Tom Thumb was the first fairy tale published in English in 1621, during the reign of King James. King James was responsible for the one of the most popular translations of the Bible still used today, the King James Version. This was also a time of controversy and the rise of the Stuart dynasty. This era became known as the early modern period of literature, where writers became more liberal with what they wrote. They discussed politics, religion, gender, and patriarchal roles.
The story is set during the reign of King Arthur, where an old woman and man want nothing more than a son, even if he is as only as “tall as their thumb”. The old woman then goes to Merlin, the wizard that dominates Arthurian folklore, for help in the matter and gives birth three months later. Tom Thumb is a devilish little fellow who tricks the other boys and finds himself stuck at home under the supervision of his mother. One day, Tom is snatched up by a raven, and dropped at an ogre’s castle. He is eaten, but frees himself by cutting himself out of the ogre’s stomach. He is then eaten by a fish, which is caught and brought to King Arthur’s court. Tom becomes a favorite in the court, and sets off to defeat Gargantua, a giant. When the giant threatens to kill Tom, Tom places him under an enchantment and escapes safely home. However, his presence is short-lived in the castle, as he faces his impending death by a spider bite.
Tom Thumb is recognized as being the original “small people” story, presumably written by Richard Johnson. A character of English folklore, Tom Thumb was the first fairy tale published in English in 1621, during the reign of King James. King James was responsible for the one of the most popular translations of the Bible still used today, the King James Version. This was also a time of controversy and the rise of the Stuart dynasty. This era became known as the early modern period of literature, where writers became more liberal with what they wrote. They discussed politics, religion, gender, and patriarchal roles.
The story is set during the reign of King Arthur, where an old woman and man want nothing more than a son, even if he is as only as “tall as their thumb”. The old woman then goes to Merlin, the wizard that dominates Arthurian folklore, for help in the matter and gives birth three months later. Tom Thumb is a devilish little fellow who tricks the other boys and finds himself stuck at home under the supervision of his mother. One day, Tom is snatched up by a raven, and dropped at an ogre’s castle. He is eaten, but frees himself by cutting himself out of the ogre’s stomach. He is then eaten by a fish, which is caught and brought to King Arthur’s court. Tom becomes a favorite in the court, and sets off to defeat Gargantua, a giant. When the giant threatens to kill Tom, Tom places him under an enchantment and escapes safely home. However, his presence is short-lived in the castle, as he faces his impending death by a spider bite.
Tom Thumb is obviously influenced by the historical and movements of the 17th century. Tom is a strong, strapping, young lad that has a heart of gold and the mind as sharp as a tack. His actions take him away from his family, which was common in literature before this time, however; Tom finds himself at odds with the Queen, who does not enjoy his presence. This is an interpretation of the common man being against the monarchy.
According to Jackie Wullschlager, in her book Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller, Andersen was inspired by Tom Thumb and Gulliver’s Travels, which also includes miniature people, when he wrote Thumbelina (162). However, the two tales differ because of Andersen’s use of animals in Thumbelina, which was unheard of at the time. Wullschlager states, “. . . Andersen was the first to play on the details of their human/animal duality, and so initiated a popular strain in children's books . . ."(163).
The story of Thumbelina was one of Hans Christian Andersen’s earliest fairy tales. The tale starts off with an old woman who wishes she could have a child, much like the old man and woman in Tom Thumb. The woman visits a fairy who tells her to plant barleycorn into a flower pot; the woman does as told, and a large flower springs up almost immediately. When the flower blooms, a beautiful and tiny girl, no bigger than a thumb, emerges. Thumbelina, as she is named, is well cared for and loved by the old woman. One day she catches the eye of a mother toad, who wishes for the girl to marry her ugly toad son. The toads kidnap Thumbelina in the middle of the night, by way of a lily pad that they send floating down the stream. The girl is rescued by a swallow, which then leaves her to migrate north for the winter. She finds refuge with a field mouse, who allows her to stay during the harsh cold. The field mouse eventually tries to marry off Thumbelina to her neighbor, a mole. Thumbelina is again rescued by the swallow and taken to a land of fairies, where she is married to the fairy prince and gains wings. Although Tom Thumb and Thumbelina share characteristics such as their height, how they were brought into the world, and their many adventures, they differ in personality and environment. Tom is mischievous and constantly searching for trouble; while Thumbelina is sweet and has a calm demeanor. Thumbelina is only exposed to the human world for a short amount of time before being whisked away to a world of talking animals and magical creatures; Tom, on the other hand, is exposed to magic in the human world.
Thumbelina was written during the 19th century, which many refer to as the Romantic period. At this time, literature shifted its focus from faith in reason to faith in the senses, imagination, and feelings. It focuses on feelings and one’s relationship with the natural world. This explains why Tom Thumb and Thumbelina are different in environment and personality. Writers in the 17th century were much more focused on scientific writing and furthering society, which explains why majority of Tom Thumb is set in the human world. Because of the Romantic influences on Thumbelina, Thumbelina spends more of her time socializing with animals. This represents her ability to be one with nature.
Much like Thumbelina, Little Chick-Pea was also written during the Romanic Era in 1885 by Thomas Frederick Crane. Since romanticism idolizes nature, it is fitting that the main character was born from the chick-pea, a small pea commonly found in Italian households. Also, the main character, Cecino, is named after a village in Italy. Much like in the other fairy tales, an old carpenter’s wife desires children. In exchange for two loaves of bread, a young mother gives the carpenter’s wife a bag of a hundred chickpeas, claiming that for every pea planted, a son will be born. Sure enough, a hundred sons were there the next morning, and the carpenter killed all but one in his rage. The remaining son, Cecino, is sold to three thieves by his father. Cecino betrays the thieves, takes their money, and escapes. After he brings the money to his mother, Cecino drowns in a puddle. Little Chick-Pea is an excellent example of a Romantic tale because of its reference to the circle of life, demonstrated by Cecino’s death. Since Cecino is born from the earth, it is fitting that his death be caused by the earth. Cecino returns to which he came from, which symbolizes the thinking of the Romantic period, and their ideas of naturalism.
According to Jackie Wullschlager, in her book Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller, Andersen was inspired by Tom Thumb and Gulliver’s Travels, which also includes miniature people, when he wrote Thumbelina (162). However, the two tales differ because of Andersen’s use of animals in Thumbelina, which was unheard of at the time. Wullschlager states, “. . . Andersen was the first to play on the details of their human/animal duality, and so initiated a popular strain in children's books . . ."(163).
The story of Thumbelina was one of Hans Christian Andersen’s earliest fairy tales. The tale starts off with an old woman who wishes she could have a child, much like the old man and woman in Tom Thumb. The woman visits a fairy who tells her to plant barleycorn into a flower pot; the woman does as told, and a large flower springs up almost immediately. When the flower blooms, a beautiful and tiny girl, no bigger than a thumb, emerges. Thumbelina, as she is named, is well cared for and loved by the old woman. One day she catches the eye of a mother toad, who wishes for the girl to marry her ugly toad son. The toads kidnap Thumbelina in the middle of the night, by way of a lily pad that they send floating down the stream. The girl is rescued by a swallow, which then leaves her to migrate north for the winter. She finds refuge with a field mouse, who allows her to stay during the harsh cold. The field mouse eventually tries to marry off Thumbelina to her neighbor, a mole. Thumbelina is again rescued by the swallow and taken to a land of fairies, where she is married to the fairy prince and gains wings. Although Tom Thumb and Thumbelina share characteristics such as their height, how they were brought into the world, and their many adventures, they differ in personality and environment. Tom is mischievous and constantly searching for trouble; while Thumbelina is sweet and has a calm demeanor. Thumbelina is only exposed to the human world for a short amount of time before being whisked away to a world of talking animals and magical creatures; Tom, on the other hand, is exposed to magic in the human world.
Thumbelina was written during the 19th century, which many refer to as the Romantic period. At this time, literature shifted its focus from faith in reason to faith in the senses, imagination, and feelings. It focuses on feelings and one’s relationship with the natural world. This explains why Tom Thumb and Thumbelina are different in environment and personality. Writers in the 17th century were much more focused on scientific writing and furthering society, which explains why majority of Tom Thumb is set in the human world. Because of the Romantic influences on Thumbelina, Thumbelina spends more of her time socializing with animals. This represents her ability to be one with nature.
Much like Thumbelina, Little Chick-Pea was also written during the Romanic Era in 1885 by Thomas Frederick Crane. Since romanticism idolizes nature, it is fitting that the main character was born from the chick-pea, a small pea commonly found in Italian households. Also, the main character, Cecino, is named after a village in Italy. Much like in the other fairy tales, an old carpenter’s wife desires children. In exchange for two loaves of bread, a young mother gives the carpenter’s wife a bag of a hundred chickpeas, claiming that for every pea planted, a son will be born. Sure enough, a hundred sons were there the next morning, and the carpenter killed all but one in his rage. The remaining son, Cecino, is sold to three thieves by his father. Cecino betrays the thieves, takes their money, and escapes. After he brings the money to his mother, Cecino drowns in a puddle. Little Chick-Pea is an excellent example of a Romantic tale because of its reference to the circle of life, demonstrated by Cecino’s death. Since Cecino is born from the earth, it is fitting that his death be caused by the earth. Cecino returns to which he came from, which symbolizes the thinking of the Romantic period, and their ideas of naturalism.
In Japanese culture, Samurai are still highly respected, although they are no longer used as military nobility. Primarily dominate in medieval Japan and early-modern Japan, their ways are still taught in modern martial arts. Therefore, it is fitting that Japan’s version of Thumbelina is a one inch Samurai warrior named Issun Boshi. His beginnings were much like the others; there was an old couple that wished to have children but couldn’t, so they wished for a child, “Please, please let us have a child, no matter how small". Then he was born from the swelling of her thumb, no bigger than an inch tall, therefore, they named him Issun Boshi (issun is an approximate measurement of three centimeters; boshi means son). At the age of fifteen, Issun Boshi left his parents’ home to seek employment in the capital city of Kyoto. On his way to the city, he comes across a young girl that is being terrorized by giants. One of the giants eats him, he stabs the inside of the giant’s stomach with the needle his mother gave him to use as a sword, and the giants run away, leaving a magical mallet behind. They hit the mallet on the ground and Issun Boshi grew up to a normal size. He and the girl were then married.
Out of the different cultural variations of Thumbelina discussed thus far, Little One Inch is the most diverse. It is the only tale out of these variations that ends with the main character growing into a normal size. This tale follows the three common themes often found in Japanese folklore. The first theme is that those who are devout and pray often are blessed with a child, which Issun Boshi’s parents did. This theme also appears in the Japanese folk tale "Momotaro." The second theme is that the accomplishments of these children are so extraordinary that they achieve almost every task that is presented to them. Issun Boshi gets the love of his life, attains a normal size, and becomes a famous samurai. The third theme is that said child grows up to have a good marriage and carries a special family name. With this being said, it is obvious that Little One-Inch follows the literary movements found in Japanese literature, although it is unknown when this tale was written.
Although Doll in the Grass is classified as a “Tom Thumb” story, it shares many plot characteristics with the Russian tale, The Frog-Tsarevna. A king sends his twelve sons out to find maidens that can spin, weave, and sew him a shirt all in one day. The sons set out, and abandon the youngest brother, Boots. Boots stumbles upon a doll in the grass, who listens to his troubles and offers to help him. She makes the shirt and the son returns back to his father, feeling ashamed because the garment is extremely tiny in comparison to the man. The king, thrilled nonetheless, tells his youngest boy to retrieve the doll. The doll, in a silver spoon pulled by two miniature horses, returns home with the young prince. On the returning journey, the doll is thrown into the water. She, with the help of a merman, emerges fully grown and far lovelier than she was before. The brothers, however, returned with women that “ were all so ugly, and foul, and wicked, that they had done nothing but fight with one another on the way home”, which did nothing but made them uglier, fouler, and more wicked than before. Boots and the doll were married and lived happily ever after.
Out of the different cultural variations of Thumbelina discussed thus far, Little One Inch is the most diverse. It is the only tale out of these variations that ends with the main character growing into a normal size. This tale follows the three common themes often found in Japanese folklore. The first theme is that those who are devout and pray often are blessed with a child, which Issun Boshi’s parents did. This theme also appears in the Japanese folk tale "Momotaro." The second theme is that the accomplishments of these children are so extraordinary that they achieve almost every task that is presented to them. Issun Boshi gets the love of his life, attains a normal size, and becomes a famous samurai. The third theme is that said child grows up to have a good marriage and carries a special family name. With this being said, it is obvious that Little One-Inch follows the literary movements found in Japanese literature, although it is unknown when this tale was written.
Although Doll in the Grass is classified as a “Tom Thumb” story, it shares many plot characteristics with the Russian tale, The Frog-Tsarevna. A king sends his twelve sons out to find maidens that can spin, weave, and sew him a shirt all in one day. The sons set out, and abandon the youngest brother, Boots. Boots stumbles upon a doll in the grass, who listens to his troubles and offers to help him. She makes the shirt and the son returns back to his father, feeling ashamed because the garment is extremely tiny in comparison to the man. The king, thrilled nonetheless, tells his youngest boy to retrieve the doll. The doll, in a silver spoon pulled by two miniature horses, returns home with the young prince. On the returning journey, the doll is thrown into the water. She, with the help of a merman, emerges fully grown and far lovelier than she was before. The brothers, however, returned with women that “ were all so ugly, and foul, and wicked, that they had done nothing but fight with one another on the way home”, which did nothing but made them uglier, fouler, and more wicked than before. Boots and the doll were married and lived happily ever after.
Doll in the Grass is a Norwegian tale written in the 1880s, which means it was also written in the Romantic Era. Romanticism’s obsession with nature is most prominent at the end of this tale. It almost seems like because the doll was thrown into the water, she was cleansed and emerged as a perfect version of her old self. However, since the other wives were preoccupied with material items, it just made them crueler. This an example of romanticism’s view point that the down fall of society is urbanization and the continual focus on material items instead of nature.
Though they’re from different parts of the world, these tales all share common elements of the original Tom Thumb story. These characters were all born from magical means and all were about the height of a thumb. The female characters are much like the “ideal” female stereotype of the 1800s, regardless of where they were written. According to Kimberly Radek, they are sweet and gentle; they also possess a certain innocence and patience. The male characters, however, are mischievous and find themselves in a series of questionable adventures. The endings of these stories also vary by gender. The male characters either die or find wealth at the end of their tales; while the females find “true love”, marry and “live happily ever after.”
Though they’re from different parts of the world, these tales all share common elements of the original Tom Thumb story. These characters were all born from magical means and all were about the height of a thumb. The female characters are much like the “ideal” female stereotype of the 1800s, regardless of where they were written. According to Kimberly Radek, they are sweet and gentle; they also possess a certain innocence and patience. The male characters, however, are mischievous and find themselves in a series of questionable adventures. The endings of these stories also vary by gender. The male characters either die or find wealth at the end of their tales; while the females find “true love”, marry and “live happily ever after.”
Every tale is unique, no matter where the inspiration was derived from. These stories differ in their settings and character personalities and are influenced by the literary movements by each of their time periods. Tom Thumb is the only one written during the 17th century, and there is an obvious difference in character personality and use of setting. Tom is mischievous and intelligent. He is not afraid to take risks, no matter what the cost is. He spends much more time in the human world because it was written during a time of science and exploration. Thumbelina was written during the 19th century, when people were moving back towards nature. Thumbelina is innocent and has a sense of naivety about her. She tends to trust too easily, but is headstrong when she needs to be. Thumbelina is much more in touch with the natural world than Tom Thumb; majority of her interactions are with talking animals. Little Chick-Pea is cunning and quick, however, his carelessness leads to his downfall, thus completing the circle of life. After all, what comes from the Earth must return. The Doll in the Grass is quick to help and does not care about the opinions of others. She, like Thumbelina, is in touch with her feelings and nature, which is symbolized when she falls in the water, and is rewarded with a happy life. Little One Inch is a warrior; brave and true. He defends those who are weak and cannot defend themselves. It is intriguing to discover that the personalities of the characters in these fairytales are so heavily influenced by the literary movements of the time.
Author Neil Gaiman once said, “Do not lose hope - what you seek will be found”, which is the basic underlying moral of every fairytale. No matter who are, no matter what you are searching for; it will be found. Fairy Tales have their own system of karma, and which is dependent of the tale’s origin and the type of morals they possess. These tales have been teaching children simplistic values like the difference between right and wrong for centuries. As Alice Abler once said in an article called The Moral of the Story, “The dual forces of cause and effect have been consistently at work through the ages. The mutable fairy tale has always been both an unrelenting influence on society and a mirror of society.” Fairy Tales will continue to both shape and mirror our culture until either they are lost or the human race is destroyed.
Author Neil Gaiman once said, “Do not lose hope - what you seek will be found”, which is the basic underlying moral of every fairytale. No matter who are, no matter what you are searching for; it will be found. Fairy Tales have their own system of karma, and which is dependent of the tale’s origin and the type of morals they possess. These tales have been teaching children simplistic values like the difference between right and wrong for centuries. As Alice Abler once said in an article called The Moral of the Story, “The dual forces of cause and effect have been consistently at work through the ages. The mutable fairy tale has always been both an unrelenting influence on society and a mirror of society.” Fairy Tales will continue to both shape and mirror our culture until either they are lost or the human race is destroyed.
References:
- Andersen, Hans Christian. Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. Mabel Lucie Attwell, illustrator. London: Raphael Tuck & Sons, 1914.
- Andersen, Hans Christian. The Ugly Duckling and Other Tales. Maxwell Armfield, illustrator. London: J M Dent, 1913.
- Andersen, Hans Christian. Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Eleanor Vere Boyle, illustrator. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, 1872.
- cocohints. “Doll in the Grass.” Drawing. Deviantart. 16 April 2006. Web. 29 April 2015.
- Guri Fjeldberg. "“You brat!”: Maternal Aggression as Women’s Empowerment in Three Recent Picture Books." Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature 51.2 (2013): 1-12. Project MUSE. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
- kGoggles. “Little-One-Inch.” Drawing. Deviantart. 2 December 2013. Web. 29 April 2015.
- Lang, Andrew, ed. The Yellow Fairy Book. New York: Dover, 1966. (Original published 1894.)
- "The Moral of the Story." Society and Culture:. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
- "SurLaLune Fairy Tales: The Annotated Thumbelina." SurLaLune Fairy Tales: The Annotated Thumbelina. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
- "Why Fairy Tales Are Important to Childhood." Imagination Soup. 22 Feb. 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
- "Women in the Nineteenth Century." Women in the Nineteenth Century. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
- Wullschlager, Jackie. Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.