LITTLE THUMBELINA

THEŔE wáś^woś őnçe^wőnçe a wōmán whö wished verý much tó^tö have a little chîld. Shê went tó^tö a fãírý and sãid: "Î shōūld sô verý much lîke tó^tö have a little chîld. Can yöü tell mê wheŕe Î can fînd one^wőne?"

"Ôh, that can bê eaśílý manáĝed," sãid thé fãírý. "Hėŕe iś a barlêycorn; it iś not ėxactlý of^uv thé sâme sort aś thôśe which grôw in thé farmerś' fiêldś, and which thé chickénś eat. Pūt it intö a flõwerpot and see whåt will happén."

"Thañk yöü," sãid thé wōmán; and shê gâve thé fãírý twelve shillingś, which wáś^woś thé prîçe of^uv thé barlêycorn. Then shê went hôme and plantėd it, and theŕe grew up a larĝe, handsőme flõwer, sőmewhåt lîke a tülíp in áppėáránçe, but with its leaveś tightlý clôśed, aś if it were still a bud.

"It iś a beaûtíful flõwer," sãid thé wōmán, and shê kissed thé red and gôldén-cőloŕed petálś; and aś shê did sô thé flõwer ôpéned, and shê cōūld see that it wáś^woś a real tülíp. But within thé flõwer, upon thé green velvét stâmenś, sat a verý delícáte and grâçeful little maidén. Shê wáś^woś scãŕçelý hālf aś long aś a thumb, and they gâve her thé nâme of^uv Little Thumb, or Thumbélïná, bėcauśe shê wáś^woś sô småll.

A wålnut shell, elėgántlý polished, served her for a crâdle; her bed wáś^woś formed of^uv blüe vîólėt leaveś, with a rôśe leaf for a counterpâne. Hėŕe shê slept at night, but dûring thé day shê ámûśed herself on a tâble, wheŕe thé peaśánt wîfe had plâçed a plâte fūll of^uv wåter.

Round this plâte were wreathś of^uv flõwerś with their stemś in thé wåter, and upon it floatėd a larĝe tülíp leaf, which served thé little one^wőne for a boat. Hėŕe shê sat and rôwed herself fróm sîde tó^tö sîde, with twö øarś mâde of^uv whîte horsehãir. It wáś^woś a verý prėttý sight. Thumbélïná cōūld ålsô sing sô softlý and sweetlý that nőthing lîke her singing had ever bėfore bėen^been heaŕd.

One^wőne night, whîle shê lay in her prėttý bed, a larĝe, uglý, wet toad crept thröügh a brôkén pâne of^uv glass in thé windôw and leaped right upon thé tâble wheŕe shê lay sleeping under her rôśe-leaf qυilt.

"Whåt a prėttý little wîfe this wōūld mâke for mŷ sőn," sãid thé toad, and shê tōōk up thé wålnut shell in which Thumbélïná lay ásleep, and jumped thröügh thé windôw with it, intö thé gardén.

In thé swāmpý^swompý marĝín of^uv a brøad stream in thé gardén lived thé toad with her sőn. Hê wáś^woś ugliêŕ êvén than hiś mőther; and when hê saw thé prėttý little maidén in her elégánt bed, hê cōūld ônlý crŷ "Croak, croak, croak."

"Dôn't speak sô loud, or shê will wâke," sãid thé toad, "and then shê might run áway, for shê iś aś light aś swan^swon's-down. Wê will plâçe her on one^wőne of^uv thé wåter-lilý leaveś out in thé stream; it will bê lîke an îslánd tó^tö her, shê iś sô light and småll, and then shê cannot ėscâpe; and whîle shê iś theŕe wê will mâke hâste and prêpãŕe thé stateroom under thé marsh, in which yöü are tó^tö live when yöü are marriêd."

Far out in thé stream grew a number of^uv wåter liliêś with brøad green leaveś which seemed tó^tö float on thé top of^uv thé wåter. Thé larĝést of^uv thêśe leaveś áppėaŕed farther off than thé rest, and thé ôld toad swam out tó^tö it with thé wålnut shell, in which Thumbélïná still lay ásleep.

Thé tîný creaťure wôke verý yeaŕlý in thé morning and bėgan tó^tö crŷ bitterlý when shê found wheŕe shê wáś^woś, for shê cōūld see nőthing but wåter on everý sîde of^uv thé larĝe green leaf, and nô way of^uv reaching thé land.

Meanwhîle thé ôld toad wáś^woś verý buśý^bizee under thé marsh, decking her rööm with rushėś and yellôw wîldflõwerś, tó^tö mâke it lōōk prėttý for her new daughter-in-law. Then shê swam out with her uglý sőn tó^tö thé leaf on which shê had plâçed pōōr Thumbélïná. Shê wanted^wontéd tó^tö bring thé prėttý bed, that shê might pūt it in thé brîdál châmber tó^tö bê readý for her. Thé ôld toad bowed lôw tó^tö her in thé wåter and sãid, "Hėŕe iś mŷ sőn; hê will bê yøur huśbánd, and yöü will live happílý tógether in thé marsh bŷ thé stream."

"Croak, croak, croak," wáś^woś åll her sőn cōūld say for himself. Sô thé toad tōōk up thé elégánt little bed and swam áway with it, leaving Thumbélïná åll álône on thé green leaf, wheŕe shê sat and wept. Shê cōūld not beár tó^tö thiñk of^uv living with thé ôld toad and having her uglý sőn for a huśbánd. Thé little fishėś whö swam ábout in thé wåter bėneath had seen thé toad and heaŕd whåt shê sãid, sô now they liftėd their headś ábőve thé wåter tó^tö lōōk at thé little maidén.

Aś söön aś they caught sight of^uv her they saw shê wáś^woś verý prėttý, and it vexed them tó^tö thiñk that shê must gô and live with thé uglý toadś.

"Nô, it must never bê!" Sô they gathered tógether in thé wåter, round thé green stålk which held thé leaf on which thé little maidén stōōd, and gnawed it áway at thé rööt with their teeth. Then thé leaf floatėd down thé stream, carrýing Thumbélïná far áway out of^uv reach of^uv land.

Thumbélïná sailed past mãný townś, and thé little birdś in thé būshéś saw her and sang, "Whåt a lővelý little creaťure." Sô thé leaf swam áway with her farther and farther, till it brøught her tó^tö őther landś. A grâçeful little whîte butterflŷ constántlý fluttered round her and at last álightėd on thé leaf. Thé little maidén pleaśed him, and shê wáś^woś glad of^uv it, for now thé toad cōūld not possíblý reach her, and thé countrý thröügh which shê sailed wáś^woś beaûtíful, and thé sun shoneyy upon thé wåter till it glittered lîke liqυid gôld. Shê tōōk off her girdle and tîed one^wőne end of^uv it round thé butterflŷ, fasténing thé őther end of^uv thé ribbón tó^tö thé leaf, which now glîdėd on much faster than bėfore, tâking Thumbélïná with it aś shê stōōd.

Preśéntlý a larĝe cockchâfer flew bŷ. Thé mômént hê caught sight of^uv her hê sêized her round her delícáte waist with hiś clawś and flew with her intö a tree. Thé green leaf floatėd áway on thé brōōk, and thé butterflŷ flew with it, for hê wáś^woś fasténed tó^tö it and cōūld not get áway.

Ôh, how frighténed Thumbélïná felt when thé cockchâfer flew with her tó^tö thé tree! But espećiállý wáś^woś shê sorrý for thé beaûtíful whîte butterflŷ which shê had fasténed tó^tö thé leaf, for if hê cōūld not free himself hê wōūld dîe of^uv huñger. But thé cockchâfer did not trouble himself at åll ábout thé matter. Hê seatėd himself bŷ her sîde, on a larĝe green leaf, gâve her sőme hőnêy fróm thé flõwerś tó^tö eat, and tôld her shê wáś^woś verý prėttý, thôugh not in thé least lîke a cockchâfer.

After a tîme åll thé cockchâferś whö lived in thé tree câme tó^tö pay Thumbélïná a viśit. They stãŕed at her, and then thé young lâdý cockchâferś turned up their feelerś and sãid, "Shê haś ônlý twö legś! how uglý that lōōks." "Shê haś nô feelerś," sãid ánőther. "Her waist iś qυîte slim. Pööh! shê iś lîke a hûmán bêing."

"Ôh, shê iś uglý," sãid åll thé lâdý cockchâferś. Thé cockchâfer whö had run áway with her bėliêved åll thé őtherś when they sãid shê wáś^woś uglý. Hê wōūld have nőthing more tó^tö say tó^tö her, and tôld her shê might gô wheŕe shê lîked. Then hê flew down with her fróm thé tree and plâçed her on a daiśý, and shê wept at thé thøught that shê wáś^woś sô uglý that êvén thé cockchâferś wōūld have nőthing tó^tö say tó^tö her. And åll thé whîle shê wáś^woś rêallý thé lőveliêst creaťure that one^wőne cōūld imaĝíne, and aś tender and delícáte aś a beaûtíful rôśe leaf.

Dûring thé whôle summer pōōr little Thumbélïná lived qυîte álône in thé wîde forést. Shê wôve herself a bed with blâdeś of^uv grass and hung it up under a brøad leaf, tó^tö prótect herself fróm thé rain. Shê sucked thé hőnêy fróm thé flõwerś for fööd and drañk thé dew fróm their leaveś everý morning.

Sô passed áway thé summer and thé autumn, and then câme thé winter—thé long, côld winter. Åll thé birdś whö had sung tó^tö her sô sweetlý had flôwn áway, and thé treeś and thé flõwerś had withered. Thé larĝe shamrock under thé shelter of^uv which shê had lived wáś^woś now rôlled tógether and shrivéled up; nőthing rėmained but a yellôw, withered stålk. Shê felt dreadfullý côld, for her clôtheś were torn, and shê wáś^woś herself sô frail and delícáte that shê wáś^woś nėaŕlý frôzén tó^tö death. It bėgan tó^tö snôw, töö; and thé snôwflâkes, aś they fell upon her, were lîke a whôle shovélfūl fālling upon one^wőne of^uv us, for wê are tåll, but shê wáś^woś ônlý an inch high. Shê wrapped herself in a drŷ leaf, but it cracked in thé middle and cōūld not keep her wårm, and shê shivered with côld.

Nėaŕ thé wōōd in which shê had bėen^been living wáś^woś a larĝe cornfiêld, but thé corn had bėen^been cut a long tîme; nőthing rėmained but thé bãŕe, drŷ stubble, standing up out of^uv thé frôzén ground. It wáś^woś tó^tö her lîke struggling thröügh a larĝe wōōd.

Ôh! how shê shivered with thé côld. Shê câme at last tó^tö thé door of^uv a fiêld mouse, whö had a little den under thé corn stubble. Theŕe dwelt thé fiêld mouse in wårmth and cómfoŕt, with a whôle röömfūl of^uv corn, a kitchén, and a beaûtíful dîning rööm. Pōōr Thumbélïná stōōd bėfore thé door, just lîke a little beggaŕ girl, and asked for a småll piêçe of^uv barlêycorn, for shê had bėen^been without a morsél tó^tö eat for twö dayś.

"Yöü pōōr little creaťure," sãid thé fiêld mouse, for shê wáś^woś rêallý a gōōd ôld mouse, "cőme intö mŷ wårm rööm and dîne with mê."

Shê wáś^woś pleaśed with Thumbélïná, sô shê sãid, "Yöü are qυîte welcóme tó^tö stay with mê åll thé winter, if yöü lîke; but yöü must keep mŷ röömś clean and neat, and tell mê storiêś, for Î shall lîke tó^tö hėaŕ them verý much." And Thumbélïná did åll that thé fiêld mouse asked her, and found herself verý cómfoŕtáble.

"Wê shall have a viśítoŕ söön," sãid thé fiêld mouse one^wőne day; "mŷ neĩghboŕ payś mê a viśit őnçe^wőnçe a week. Hê iś better off than Î am; hê haś larĝe röömś, and weaŕś a beaûtíful black velvét coat. If yöü cōūld ônlý have him for a huśbánd, yöü wōūld bê well próvîdėd for indeed. But hê iś blînd, sô yöü must tell him sőme of^uv yøur prėttïést storiêś."

Thumbélïná did not feel at åll interéstėd ábout this neĩghboŕ, for hê wáś^woś a môle. However, hê câme and paid hiś viśit, dressed in hiś black velvét coat.

"Hê iś verý rich and leaŕned, and hiś house iś twentý tîmeś larĝer than mîne," sãid thé fiêld mouse.

Hê wáś^woś rich and leaŕned, nô doubt, but hê ålwayś spôke slightiñglý of^uv thé sun and thé prėttý flõwerś, bėcauśe hê had never seen them. Thumbélïná wáś^woś óblîĝed tó^tö sing tó^tö him, "Lâdýbird, lâdýbird, flŷ áway hôme," and mãný őther prėttý songś. And thé môle fell in lőve with her bėcauśe shê had sô sweet a voiçe; but hê sãid nőthing yet, for hê wáś^woś verý prüdént and cauţioús. A short tîme bėfore, thé môle had dug a long passáĝe under thé eaŕth, which led fróm thé dwelling of^uv thé fiêld mouse tó^tö hiś ôwn, and hėŕe shê had permiŝŝion tó^tö wålk with Thumbélïná whenever shê lîked. But hê wårned them not tó^tö bê álarmed at thé sight of^uv a dead bird which lay in thé passáĝe. It wáś^woś a perfect bird, with a beak and featherś, and cōūld not have bėen^been dead long. It wáś^woś lŷing just wheŕe thé môle had mâde hiś passáĝe. Thé môle tōōk in hiś mouth a piêçe of^uv phosphorescént wōōd, which glittered lîke fîŕe in thé dark. Then hê went bėfore them tó^tö light them thröügh thé long, dark passáĝe. When they câme tó^tö thé spot wheŕe thé dead bird lay, thé môle pūshed hiś brøad nôśe thröügh thé çêiling, sô that thé eaŕth gâve way and thé daylight shoneyy intö thé passáĝe.

In thé middle of^uv thé floor lay a swāllôw^swollôw, hiś beaûtíful wingś pūlled clôse tó^tö hiś sîdeś, hiś feet and head drawn up under hiś featherś—thé pōōr bird had evídéntlý dîed of^uv thé côld. It mâde little Thumbélïná verý sad tó^tö see it, shê did sô lőve thé little birdś; åll thé summer they had sung and twittered for her sô beaûtífúllý. But thé môle pūshed it ásîde with hiś crōōkéd legś and sãid: "Hê will sing nô more now. How miśeráble it must bê tó^tö bê born a little bird! Î am thañkful that nőne of^uv mŷ childrén will ever bê birdś, for they can dö nőthing but crŷ 'Tweet, tweet,' and must ålwayś dîe of^uv huñger in thé winter."

"Yes, yöü may well say that, aś a clever man!" ėxclaimed thé fiêld mouse. "Whåt iś thé ûse of^uv hiś twittéring if, when winter cőmeś, hê must êither starve or bê frôzén tó^tö death? Still, birdś are verý high bred."

Thumbélïná sãid nőthing, but when thé twö őtherś had turned their backs upon thé bird, shê stööped down and strôked ásîde thé soft featherś which cővered hiś head, and kissed thé clôśed eŷelidś. "Perhaps this wáś^woś thé one^wőne whö sang tó^tö mê sô sweetlý in thé summer," shê sãid; "and how much pleaŝure it gâve mê, yöü dėaŕ, prėttý bird."