Thumbelina Displaced

Dzvenyslava (Displacelina)

Dzvenyslava is a brave and clever little girl who has lost her home, but refuses to lose herself. As she travels through unfamiliar lands, others constantly ask her to change her name, her habits, or even to give up who she is, in exchange for safety. In her search for a new home, she is often frightened and lonely, but she approaches every situation and hardship with kindness and compassion. Along the way, she learns that she does not have to become a completely new person to belong. Preserving her identity gives her the strength to care for others and to keep fighting for the place she calls home.

The Toad

The Toad rescues Dzvenyslava when she is at her most vulnerable and sincerely believes she is offering the girl a better future. However, her kindness comes with the expectation that Dzvenyslava will change her name and abandon her dreams in order to become part of the toad community. She believes that becoming a toad is the safest and happiest possible future, which illustrates how even good intentions can become limiting when guided by the belief that one knows what is best for another.

The Maybugs

The Maybugs are friendly and seem very hospitable. They speak passionately about helping those in need, but they are more interested in discussing compassion than in showing it. Although they admire Dzvenyslava’s courage, they expect her to look, act, and live just like them before she can truly become part of their community. Once the applause stops, they forget that she is still frightened and lonely. Through them, the story explores the difference between expressing solidarity and offering genuine care.

The Field Mouse and the Mole

The Field Mouse is a generous, practical, and genuinely caring creature. She offers Dzvenyslava warmth, food, and the stability of a simple everyday life, asking only for stories and help around the house in return. Although she cannot fully understand the girl’s longing for home, she offers her the time and security she needs to recover.

Her neighbor, the Mole, is wealthy and knowledgeable. He solves problems with comfort and material security, which he values as the most important things in life. He finds it hard to understand why anyone would choose the uncertainty of life on the surface, under the sun and among vast fields, over a peaceful, quiet life underground. 

Together, they show that offering shelter is an act of kindness, yet it is not the same as helping someone rebuild their life or restore a sense of home.

The Swallow

The Swallow becomes Dzvenyslava’s true friend after she cares for him and helps him recover. Unlike others she meets, he never tells her what to want or how to behave. Instead, he listens to her, respects her decisions, and stands by her side, even if that means returning to danger. Through him, the story shows that true friendship doesn’t mean deciding someone’s path for them, but helping them follow their own.

The Flower King

The Flower King is wise and compassionate. He accepts Dzvenyslava without demanding that she change or adapt to fit in, and offers her a place where she can finally feel safe. But when he realizes that what she truly wants isn’t a new home, but a chance to return to her own, he doesn’t try to convince her otherwise. Instead, he encourages his people to stand by her and defend what she loves. He symbolizes solidarity, the importance of understanding the needs of others, and the courage to stand up for them.