One night , when she was lying in her pretty little bed , an old toad crept in through a broken pane in the window . She was very ugly , clumsy , and clammy ; she hopped on to the table where Thumbelina lay asleep under the red rose-leaf . ` This would make a beautiful wife for my son , ' said the toad , taking up the walnut-shell , with Thumbelina inside , and hopping with it through the window into the garden . There flowed a great wide stream , with slippery and marshy banks ; here the toad lived with her son . Ugh ! how ugly and clammy he was , just like his mother ! ` Croak , croak , croak ! ' was all he could say when he saw the pretty little girl in the walnut-shell . ` Do n't talk so load , or you 'll wake her , ' said the old toad . ` She might escape us even now ; she is as light as a feather . We will put her at once on a broad water-lily leaf in the stream . That will be quite an island for her ; she is so small and light . She ca n't run away from us there , whilst we are preparing the guest-chamber under the marsh where she shall live . ' Outside in the brook grew many water-lilies , with broad green leaves , which looked as if they were swimming about on the water . The leaf farthest away was the largest , and to this the old toad swam with Thumbelina in her walnut-shell . The tiny Thumbelina woke up very early in the morning , and when she saw where she was she began to cry bitterly ; for on every side of the great green leaf was water , and she could not get to the land . The old toad was down under the marsh , decorating her room with rushes and yellow marigold leaves , to make it very grand for her new daughter-in-law ; then she swam out with her ugly son to the leaf where Thumbelina lay . She wanted to fetch the pretty cradle to put it into her room before Thumbelina herself came there . The old toad bowed low in the water before her , and said : ` Here is my son ; you shall marry him , and live in great magnificence down under the marsh . ' ` Croak , croak , croak ! '
was all that the son could XXXXX .
Do decorating flowed grew leaves put rushes saw say wake