In a remote corner of the world, there existed a most peculiar place known as the Tiny Kingdom. Its inhabitants, all folks of incredibly small stature, lived in blissful harmony among the towering giant trees—an ideal haven for them. The mornings were serene, with gentle sunbeams shining on their homes, and an orchestra of songbirds entertaining them with delightful melodies.
However, there was one among them whose heart felt heavy—a little boy named Tommy. Compared to his peers, Tommy was slightly larger. Not only did he exceed his fellow villagers in height, but he also had an uncanny ability to repeat the longest lessons at the Little School, a feat unmatched by any other resident. Consequently, the entire kingdom affectionately dubbed him “Tommy the Tiny,” a title that whispered mockery in the ears of the sensitive lad.
One fateful morning, as the villagers strolled through their picturesque kingdom, Tommy overheard two tall visitors admiring the little folks. “What a delightful place to live!” exclaimed one. “But the people here are dreadfully small,” replied the other. “If I were to linger, I should fear breaking some of them.”
The villagers nodded in agreement and sighed, pondering the truth in the remarks. Yes, Tommy was larger than the rest, but the incisive observation cut deep. For days, Tommy’s heart ached, and tears lay brimming in his eyes, blinding him to the sunniest little flowers that grew beside his path. Had he not been a little larger, the visitors might have proposed a long sojourn among them in those fairyland woods. Thus thus did Tommy the Tiny grieve.
But one day, something occurred—a most strange thing. Tommy, sitting on the doorstep of his house, caught sight of a huge cage moving with extraordinary velocity through the air. As it approached, he perceived broad wings attached to the delicate structure. It was indeed a fine cage, and as soon as it was settled to the ground, the lid was lifted, and out flew a beautiful brown bird. Tommy mustered courage and inquired of the cage-bearer, “Pray tell, what is that magnificent creature?”
“Oh, ho! ‘Tis a bird-catcher, and this is my bird,” replied the man. “He soon catches three dozen of his little feathered fellows. Then they are sold far, far away from this. By the by, are there no large folks in your kingdom?”
Tommy felt this was astonishing news indeed, and cried out, with a voice that startled even the bird, “No! come with me to the tiny kingdom.”
The bird-catcher, roguish fellow that he was, agreed to accompany Tommy to a rendezvous. They soon reached the presence of all the tall gentlemen, whom Tommy had directly summoned to meet the bird-catcher. In the meantime, he had appealed to them to summon their tallest folks, and in due time mustered quite an imposing cavalcade. How strange it was! How bewildering! Who could guess at a cultivated miniature bird like Tommy?
Soon the equilibrium of class came to an end. The neighbors now knew that they had folks taller than themselves, and wise Tommy saw the high advantage of being a little giant in the Tiny Kingdom. From that happy day forth, no one felt himself larger than his neighbors. “Rays of difference, as well as rays of similarity, fall in all directions,” said Tommy. “Just as we thought Ray Like to the sun above and round him.”
Setting out, however, to seek his slim young lady in the land of the thinner folks, he purposely lost all his new neighbors, who straggled after him in endless multitude. Tommy the Tiny met her he sought, and soon after settled in the company of the old folks, who now flourished abroad in his garden. Ah, there’s the secret of Tommy’s peace; he had brought a new kingdom in his pocket.