A/N: This is a combination of the original Thumbelina movie and the YouTube crossover video by LoveAndHeartbreak. I do not own any of the characters or plot elements, and I have LoveAndHeartbreak's permission to use her video of the same name for this story. Please look her up on YouTube, her work is incredibly sophisticated and beautiful. ~Enjoy!
Jim and Thumbelina: How Can a Girl Love a Boy?
The Seed
The sun was starting to sink behind the hills as Jim wrapped up his errands at the marketplace. He would have to hurry if he wanted to make it back home before it got completely dark, and he knew he'd better make it back or Mother would worry. Jim sighed. He had been a homeless little kid when the old woman had found him scavenging in a nearby town and adopted him over 10 years ago. He loved her dearly, but he also wanted to spread his wings a little—crew on one of those great ships in the city's port and go see the world. At the same time, he didn't want her to be lonely and fretting over him.
Putting his dilemma aside, the dark-haired boy shouldered his pack and stepped onto the main road towards home. He hadn't gone very far when a small, ripped sack, just peeking out of the grass on the side of the cobblestones, caught his attention. Bending down to investigate, Jim smiled with delight when he realized that the spilled goods were an assortment of seeds—flower seeds. Mother loved flowers, and with spring arriving soon she would be able to plant them and enjoy their beauty until next autumn. And maybe, Jim thought guiltily as he gathered up the seeds and tied the sack carefully, maybe they'll keep her happy while I am on a ship. Besides, he rationalized, it's not like I won't be coming back. I just want to go for a little while.
Jim failed to return before dark, and as he came in the front door he heard Mother before he saw her. "James Hawkins! There you are, I was getting ready to go look for you, do you know how long it's been dark for, where have you been?" Smiling sheepishly, Jim set his bags down and starting unpacking. "I'm sorry Mother, I just lost track of time, it won't happen again. But really, you don't need to worry, I was perfectly fine." In a quieter voice he muttered, "I'm not a little kid anymore." The old woman sighed as she came over and brushed Jim's long bangs out of his face. "I know Jim, but worrying is something that mothers do. Goodness, it seems just yesterday you scarcely reached my elbow, and now you're almost grown up."
Jim gave her a hug before stepping back to the table and gesturing excitedly. "I have something for you, I found it as I was leaving the market." Triumphantly, he held up the sack and shook it slightly before pouring the contents onto the table. He was rewarded as a huge smile brightened his mother's face. "Flower seeds! Oh Jim, wherever did you get so many? Look, there is sunflower, sweetpea, marigold, nasturtium—now what is this?" Peering over her shoulder, Jim watched her pick out a large seed of a kind he'd never seen before. "It's the only one too," Jim said as he sorted through the pile on the wooden table. The old woman grabbed her spectacles to get a better look as she held the seed up to the lantern-light. "I haven't the faintest idea what it is. We'd better plant it on its own inside, just in case."
Thumbelina
As the weather warmed and the trees put little leaf buds out, Jim watched as Mother carefully planted the mystery seed and placed the pot on the windowsill. Once it sprouted, Jim was amazed by how fast the green stalk grew, and soon it was tipped with a bright red bud. Jim's mother could hardly wait for it to open and reveal what kind of flower it was.
One spring day, Jim was in the middle of feeding the chickens on their small farm when Mother threw open the window and called that the flower was blooming. Jim hurried inside, having caught his mother's excitement over the whole matter, and stared as the flower rapidly unfurled its petals. Neither of them were prepared for what was inside it however. Jim gasped as the flower opened to reveal a tiny girl no bigger than his thumb lying in its center. Despite her diminutive size she looked about his age, with a light blue dress and honey-brown hair that fell to her waist. Waking up, the miniscule girl walked towards the edges of the red petals, and the old woman—who was still too awed to speak—held out her hand for this lovely creature to step onto. "Hello Mother," she said in a voice as clear and beautiful as a bell. Jim watched as his mother beamed at the little girl and asked her name; upon learning there wasn't one, the old woman named her Thumbelina.
The little family adjusted quite quickly to their new member, for everyone adored Thumbelina with her bright smile and eager questions about the very big world around her. Mother made her a tiny bed out of a walnut shell, which usually sat on the windowsill where her flower had bloomed, and they found acorn caps that she could use for little dishes. Though Thumbelina was a joy, each day brought trials to the tiny girl and worry to Jim and the old woman. It would only take one wrong swipe of the broom or any number of things to injure the girl, and Thumbelina was frequently falling into water troughs and other human items in her effort to help her family with the daily chores. It was also very easy for her to get lost outside, since she could not even see above the grass.
Jim was highly protective of Lina, as he called her; and it wasn't long after her arrival that he sewed pockets on the fronts of all his shirts, to carry her around more safely. The two quickly became almost inseparable, and as the summer passed Jim quietly decided to put off sailing for a little while. Lina loved to explore the farm and nearby woods with him, and he even took her on trips into town and to meet his friends. In the evenings when the chores were done they would all gather near the fireplace, with Jim and the old woman taking turns reading out loud.