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One spring, a woman sowed a magic seed in a flowerpot. The seed soon sprouted, and it grew into a flower bud. Just as the woman kissed the bud, it blossomed. What a magical flower! Right in the middle of it sat a tiny lovely girl. She was no bigger than a thumb, and therefore she was called Thumbelina. One night, Thumbelina was sleeping in her walnut-shell cradle. An old toad jumped in through the window. "What a lovely girl!" he said. "She would be a perfect wife for my son." So he lifted up the cradle and left quickly. There were many lily pads floating above the brook. The old toad put Thumbelina on the biggest pad and swam away. He couldn't wait to tell his son about the lovely girl. When Thumbelina woke up, she found herself in a strange place. She was so scared and began to cry. Hearing her cry, the fish came and asked her why. "I want to go back to the shore, but I can't swim," Thumbelina said. The fish helped to bite off the leafstalk and the lily pad carried Thumbelina away with the running water. Eventually it stopped beside a forest. Thumbelina began to live in the forest. She ate nectar, drank dew and slept on a small bed made of grass. But the cold winter was coming, and Thumbelina still wore her summer clothes. She was shivering with cold. When it star ted to snow, Thumbelina left the forest. She had to find a warm place to live. Thumbelina came to a cornfield. A field mouse's house was beside the cornfield. Poor Thumbelina begged the field mouse for some food. She hadn't had anything for two days. The field mouse was kind and shared his food with Thumbelina. "If you could help me clean my house, you can stay with me," he said. Thumbelina agreed. The field mouse had a good friend, a rich mole. The mole fell in love with Thumbelina and wanted to marry her. But Thumbelina didn't like him, because the mole disliked the sun and flowers. Thumbelina didn't wantto live with him underground in darkness forever. The mole decided to dig a tunnel between his house and the field mouse's so that he could see Thumbelina moreoften. While he was digging, he found a dead swallow. He didn't like birds at all, so he kicked the swallow aside. Thumbelina was very sad to hear that. She loved birds which had brought her a lot of happiness in the last summer. At night, Thumbelina put a blanket over the poor swallow. Actually, the swallow hadn't died.He was just frozen because he had hurt his wing and couldn't fly south. With the blanket, he felt warm and soon came to life. Thumbelina was happy to see him alive. She brought him food and water secretly. The winter passed and the swallow recovered. He invited Thumbelina to go back to the forest with him. But Thumbelina refused. She didn't want to make the field mouse sad. The swallow flew away. Thumbelina watched him leaving as tears filled her eyes.When the summer came, the mole proposed to Thumbelina. Thumbelina refused him but themole insisted on marrying her. The wedding would be held in autumn. Thumbelina wanted to escape, but she was locked up in her room. Several spiders were invited to spin her a wedding dress. Then the autumn came and everything was ready for the wedding. The mole came to fetch Thumbelina. Thinking of her futurelife underground, Thumbelina couldn't help crying. "Goodbye, my warm sunshine!Goodbye, my beautiful flowers!" she said and hugged a little flower. "Please say hello to the dear swallow for me if you should see him." Suddenly, she heard asmall cheep from the sky. There was the swallow! "Get on my back. Let's flyaway!" he said. Thumbelina didn't refuse this time. She climbed on his back and they flew away. The swallow took Thumbelina to a lovely lawn with flowers. Hetold Thumbelina to choose a flower as her house. She chose a white one. When Thumbelina was put on the white flower, she was surprised to find a little prince sitting in the middle of the flower. He fell in love with Thumbelina at first sight. Thumbelina also liked the gentle prince. Just then, from every flower walked out a cute little creature. They put a pair of wings on Thumbelina's back. Then she could fly. Finally Thumbelina had got her own house and many new friends. What ahappy girl Thumbelina was!