Tom Thumb is a character of
English folklore.
The History of Tom Thumb was published in
1621, and was the first
fairy tale printed in English. Tom is no bigger than his father's thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tangling with
giants, and becoming a favourite of
King Arthur. The earliest allusions to Tom occur in various 16th-century works such as
Reginald Scot's
Discovery of Witchcraft (1584), where Tom is cited as one of the supernatural folk employed by servant maids to frighten children.