拇指姑娘7英文版

“oh,” said she, “it is cold out of doors now; it snows andfreezes. stay in your warm bed; i will take care of you.”

then she brought the swallow some water in a flower-leaf, andafter he had drank, he told her that he had wounded one of his wings in athorn-bush, and could not fly as fast as the others, who were soon far away ontheir journey to warm countries. then at last he had fallen to the earth, andcould remember no more, nor how he came to be where she had found him. thewhole winter the swallow remained underground, and tiny nursed him with careand love. neither the mole nor the field-mouse knew anything about it, for theydid not like swallows. very soon the spring time came, and the sun warmed theearth. then the swallow bade farewell to tiny, and she opened the hole in theceiling which the mole had made. the sun shone in upon them so beautifully,that the swallow asked her if she would go with him; she could sit on his back,he said, and he would fly away with her into the green woods. but tiny knew itwould make the field-mouse very grieved if she left her in that manner, so shesaid, “no, i cannot.”

“farewell, then, farewell, you good, pretty little maiden,” saidthe swallow; and he flew out into the sunshine.

tiny looked after him, and the tears rose in her eyes. she wasvery fond of the poor swallow.

“tweet, tweet,” sang the bird, as he flew out into the greenwoods, and tiny felt very sad. she was not allowed to go out into the warmsunshine. the corn which had been sown in the field over the house of thefield-mouse had grown up high into the air, and formed a thick wood to tiny,who was only an inch in height.

“you are going to be married, tiny,” said the field-mouse. “myneighbor has asked for you. what good fortune for a poor child like you. now wewill prepare your wedding clothes. they must be both woollen and linen. nothingmust be wanting when you are the mole’s wife.”