Thenshebroughthimwaterinapetal，whichhedrank，afterwhichherelatedtoherhowhehadtornoneofhiswingsonabramble，sothathecouldnotflyasfastastheotherswallows，whohadflownfarawaytowarmerlands。Soatlasthehaddroppeddownexhausted，andthenhecouldremembernomore。Thewholewinterheremaineddownthere，andThumbelinalookedafterhimandnursedhimtenderly。Neitherthemolenorthefield-mouselearntanythingofthis，fortheycouldnotbearthepoorswallow。
Whenthespringcame，andthesunwarmedtheearthagain，theswallowsaidfarewelltoThumbelina，whoopenedtheholeintheroofforhimwhichthemolehadmade。Thesunshonebrightlydownuponher，andtheswallowaskedherifshewouldgowithhim；shecouldsituponhisback。Thumbelinawantedverymuchtoflyfarawayintothegreenwood，butsheknewthattheoldfield-mousewouldbesadifsheranaway。’No，Imustn’tcome！’
shesaid。
’Farewell，deargoodlittlegirl！’saidtheswallow，andflewoffintothesunshine。Thumbelinagazedafterhimwiththetearsstandinginhereyes，forshewasveryfondoftheswallow。
’Tweet，tweet！’sangthebird，andflewintothegreenwood。
Thumbelinawasveryunhappy。Shewasnotallowedtogooutintothewarmsunshine。Thecornwhichhadbeensowedinthefieldoverthefield-mouse’shomegrewuphighintotheair，andmadeathickforestforthepoorlittlegirl，whowasonlyaninchhigh。
’Nowyouaretobeabride，Thumbelina！’saidthefield-mouse，’forourneighbourhasproposedforyou！Whatapieceoffortuneforapoorchildlikeyou！Nowyoumustsettoworkatyourlinenforyourdowry，fornothingmustbelackingifyouaretobecomethewifeofourneighbour，themole！’
Thumbelinahadtospinalldaylong，andeveryeveningthemolevisitedher，andtoldherthatwhenthesummerwasoverthesunwouldnotshinesohot；nowitwasburningtheearthashardasastone。Yes，whenthesummerhadpassed，theywouldkeepthewedding。
Butshewasnotatallpleasedaboutit，forshedidnotlikethestupidmole。Everymorningwhenthesunwasrising，andeveryeveningwhenitwassetting，shewouldstealoutofthehouse-door，andwhenthebreezepartedtheearsofcornsothatshecouldseetheblueskythroughthem，shethoughthowbrightandbeautifulitmustbeoutside，andlongedtoseeherdearswallowagain。Buthenevercame；nodoubthehadflownawayfarintothegreatgreenwood。
BytheautumnThumbelinahadfinishedthedowry。
’Infourweeksyouwillbemarried！’saidthefield-mouse；’don’tbeobstinate，orIshallbiteyouwithmysharpwhiteteeth！Youwillgetafinehusband！TheKinghimselfhasnotsuchavelvetcoat。Hisstore-roomandcellararefull，andyoushouldbethankfulforthat。’
Well，thewedding-dayarrived。ThemolehadcometofetchThumbelinatolivewithhimdeepdownundertheground，nevertocomeoutintothewarmsunagain，forthatwaswhathedidn’tlike。Thepoorlittlegirlwasverysad；fornowshemustsaygood-byetothebeautifulsun。
’Farewell，brightsun！’shecried，stretchingoutherarmstowardsit，andtakinganotherstepoutsidethehouse；fornowthecornhadbeenreaped，andonlythedrystubblewasleftstanding。’Farewell，farewell！’shesaid，andputherarmsroundalittleredflowerthatgrewthere。’Givemylovetothedearswallowwhenyouseehim！’
’Tweet，tweet！’soundedinherearallatonce。Shelookedup。
Therewastheswallowflyingpast！AssoonashesawThumbelina，hewasveryglad。Shetoldhimhowunwillingshewastomarrytheuglymole，asthenshehadtoliveundergroundwherethesunnevershone，andshecouldnothelpburstingintotears。
’Thecoldwinteriscomingnow，’saidtheswallow。’Imustflyawaytowarmerlands:willyoucomewithme？Youcansitonmyback，andwewillflyfarawayfromtheuglymoleandhisdarkhouse，overthemountains，tothewarmcountrieswherethesunshinesmorebrightlythanhere，whereitisalwayssummer，andtherearealwaysbeautifulflowers。Docomewithme，dearlittleThumbelina，whosavedmylifewhenIlayfrozeninthedarktunnel！’
’Yes，Iwillgowithyou，’saidThumbelina，andgotontheswallow’sback，withherfeetononeofhisoutstretchedwings。
Upheflewintotheair，overwoodsandseas，overthegreatmountainswherethesnowisalwayslying。Andifshewascoldshecreptunderhiswarmfeathers，onlykeepingherlittleheadouttoadmireallthebeautifulthingsintheworldbeneath。Atlasttheycametowarmlands；therethesunwasbrighter，theskyseemedtwiceashigh，andinthehedgeshungthefinestgreenandpurplegrapes；inthewoodsgreworangesandlemons:theairwasscentedwithmyrtleandmint，andontheroadswereprettylittlechildrenrunningaboutandplayingwithgreatgorgeousbutterflies。Buttheswallowflewonfarther，anditbecamemoreandmorebeautiful。Underthemostsplendidgreentreesbesidesabluelakestoodaglitteringwhite-marblecastle。Vineshungaboutthehighpillars；thereweremanyswallows’nests，andinoneoftheselivedtheswallowwhowascarryingThumbelina。
’Hereismyhouse！’saidhe。’Butitwon’tdoforyoutolivewithme；Iamnottidyenoughtopleaseyou。Findahomeforyourselfinoneofthelovelyflowersthatgrowdownthere；nowI
willsetyoudown，andyoucandowhateveryoulike。’
’Thatwillbesplendid！’saidshe，clappingherlittlehands。
Therelayagreatwhitemarblecolumnwhichhadfallentothegroundandbrokenintothreepieces，butbetweenthesegrewthemostbeautifulwhiteflowers。TheswallowflewdownwithThumbelina，andsetherupononeofthebroadleaves。Butthere，toherastonishment，shefoundatinylittlemansittinginthemiddleoftheflower，aswhiteandtransparentasifheweremadeofglass；hehadtheprettiestgoldencrownonhishead，andthemostbeautifulwingsonhisshoulders；hehimselfwasnobiggerthanThumbelina。Hewasthespiritoftheflower。Ineachblossomtheredweltatinymanorwoman；butthisonewastheKingovertheothers。
’Howhandsomeheis！’whisperedThumbelinatotheswallow。
ThelittlePrincewasverymuchfrightenedattheswallow，forincomparisonwithonesotinyashimselfheseemedagiant。ButwhenhesawThumbelina，hewasdelighted，forshewasthemostbeautifulgirlhehadeverseen。Sohetookhisgoldencrownfromoffhisheadandputitonhers，askingherhername，andifshewouldbehiswife，andthenshewouldbeQueenofalltheflowers。Yes！hewasadifferentkindofhusbandtothesonofthetoadandthemolewiththeblack-velvetcoat。Soshesaid’Yes’tothenoblePrince。Andoutofeachflowercamealadyandgentleman，eachsotinyandprettythatitwasapleasuretoseethem。EachbroughtThumbelinaapresent，butthebestofallwasabeautifulpairofwingswhichwerefastenedontoherback，andnowshetoocouldflyfromflowertoflower。Theyallwishedherjoy，andtheswallowsataboveinhisnestandsangtheweddingmarch，andthathedidaswellashecould；buthewassad，becausehewasveryfondofThumbelinaanddidnotwanttobeseparatedfromher。
’YoushallnotbecalledThumbelina！’saidthespiritoftheflowertoher；’thatisanuglyname，andyouaremuchtooprettyforthat。WewillcallyouMayBlossom。’
’Farewell，farewell！’saidthelittleswallowwithaheavyheart，andflewawaytofartherlands，far，faraway，rightbacktoDenmark。Therehehadalittlenestaboveawindow，wherehiswifelived，whocantellfairy-stories。’Tweet，tweet！’hesangtoher。Andthatisthewaywelearntthewholestory。
InChina，asIdaresayyouknow，theEmperorisaChinaman，andallhiscourtiersarealsoChinamen。ThestoryIamgoingtotellyouhappenedmanyyearsago，butitisworthwhileforyoutolistentoit，beforeitisforgotten。
TheEmperor’sPalacewasthemostsplendidintheworld，allmadeofpricelessporcelain，butsobrittleanddelicatethatyouhadtotakegreatcarehowyoutouchedit。Inthegardenwerethemostbeautifulflowers，andontheloveliestofthemweretiedsilverbellswhichtinkled，sothatifyoupassedyoucouldnothelplookingattheflowers。EverythingintheEmperor’sgardenwasadmirablyarrangedwithaviewtoeffect；andthegardenwassolargethateventhegardenerhimselfdidnotknowwhereitended。Ifyouevergotbeyondit，youcametoastatelyforestwithgreattreesanddeeplakesinit。Theforestslopeddowntothesea，whichwasaclearblue。Largeshipscouldsailundertheboughsofthetrees，andinthesetreestherelivedaNightingale。Shesangsobeautifullythateventhepoorfishermanwhohadsomuchtodostoodandlistenedwhenhecameatnighttocasthisnets。’Howbeautifulitis！’hesaid；buthehadtoattendtohiswork，andforgotaboutthebird。Butwhenshesangthenextnightandthefishermancamethereagain，hesaidthesamething，’Howbeautifulitis！’
FromallthecountriesroundcametravellerstotheEmperor’stown，whowereastonishedatthePalaceandthegarden。ButwhentheyheardtheNightingaletheyallsaid，’Thisisthefinestthingafterall！’
Thetravellerstoldallaboutitwhentheywenthome，andlearnedscholarswrotemanybooksuponthetown，thePalace，andthegarden。ButtheydidnotforgettheNightingale；shewaspraisedthemost，andallthepoetscomposedsplendidversesontheNightingaleintheforestbythedeepsea。
Thebookswerecirculatedthroughouttheworld，andsomeofthemreachedtheEmperor。Hesatinhisgoldenchair，andreadandread。Henoddedhisheadeverymoment，forhelikedreadingthebrilliantaccountsofthetown，thePalace，andthegarden。’ButtheNightingaleisbetterthanall，’hesawwritten。
’Whatisthat？’saidtheEmperor。’Idon’tknowanythingabouttheNightingale！Istheresuchabirdinmyempire，andsonearasinmygarden？Ihaveneverheardit！Fancyreadingforthefirsttimeaboutitinabook！’
AndhecalledhisFirstLordtohim。Hewassoproudthatifanyoneoflowerrankthanhisownventuredtospeaktohimoraskhimanything，hewouldsaynothingbut’P！’andthatdoesnotmeananything。
’HereisamostremarkablebirdwhichiscalledaNightingale！’
saidtheEmperor。’Theysayitisthemostgloriousthinginmykingdom。Whyhasnooneeversaidanythingtomeaboutit？’