So at last he had dropped down exhausted , and then he could remember no more . The whole winter he remained down there , and Thumbelina looked after him and nursed him tenderly . Neither the mole nor the field-mouse learnt anything of this , for they could not bear the poor swallow . When the spring came , and the sun warmed the earth again , the swallow said farewell to Thumbelina , who opened the hole in the roof for him which the mole had made . The sun shone brightly down upon her , and the swallow asked her if she would go with him ; she could sit upon his back . Thumbelina wanted very much to fly far away into the green wood , but she knew that the old field-mouse would be sad if she ran away . ` No , I must n't come ! ' she said . ` Farewell , dear good little girl ! ' said the swallow , and flew off into the sunshine . Thumbelina gazed after him with the tears standing in her eyes , for she was very fond of the swallow . ` Tweet , tweet ! ' sang the bird , and flew into the green wood . Thumbelina was very unhappy . She was not allowed to go out into the warm sunshine . The corn which had been sowed in the field over the field-mouse 's home grew up high into the air , and made a thick forest for the poor little girl , who was only an inch high . ` Now you are to be a bride , Thumbelina ! ' said the field-mouse , ` for our neighbour has proposed for you ! What a piece of fortune for a poor child like you ! Now you must set to work at your linen for your dowry , for nothing must be lacking if you are to become the wife of our neighbour , the mole ! '
Thumbelina had XXXXX spin all day long , and every evening the mole visited her , and told her that when the summer was over the sun would not shine so hot ; now it was burning the earth as hard as a stone .
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