e was left standing. 'Farewell,
farewell!' she said, and put her arms round a little red flower that
grew there. 'Give my love to the dear swallow when you see him!'

'Tweet, tweet!' sounded in her ear all at once. She looked up. There was
the swallow flying past! As soon as he saw Thumbelina, he was very glad.
She told him how unwilling she was to marry the ugly mole, as then she
had to live underground where the sun never shone, and she could not
help bursting into tears.

'The cold winter is coming now,' said the swallow. 'I must fly away to
warmer lands: will you come with me? You can sit on my back, and we will
fly far away from the ugly mole and his dark house, over the mountains,
to the warm countries where the sun shines more brightly than here,
where it is always summer, and there are always beautiful flowers.
Do come with me, dear little Thumbelina, who saved my life when I lay
frozen in the dark tunnel!'

'Yes, I will go with you,' said Thumbelina, and got on the swallow's
back, with her feet on one of his outstretched wings. Up he flew into
the air, over woods and seas, over the great mountains where the snow
is always lying. And if she was cold she crept under his warm feathers,
only keeping her little head out to admire all the beautiful things in
the world beneath. At last they came to warm lands; there the sun was
brighter, the sky seemed twice as high, and in the hedges hung the
finest green and purple grapes; in the woods grew oranges and lemons:
the air was scented with myrtle and mint, and on the roads were
pretty little children running about and playing with great gorgeous
butterflies. But the swallow flew on farther, and it became more and
more beautiful. Under the most splendid green trees besides a blue
lake stood a glittering white-marble castle. Vines hung about the high
pillars; there were many swallows' nests, and in one of these lived the
swallow who was carrying Thumbelina.

'Here is my house!' said he. 'But it won't do for you to live with me; I
am not tidy enough to please you. Find a home for yourself in one of the
lovely flowers that grow down there; now I will set you down, and you
can do whatever you like.'

'That will be splendid!' said she, clapping her little hands.

There lay a great white marble column which had fallen to the ground
and broken into three pieces, but between these grew the most beautiful
white flowers. The swallow flew down with Thumbelina, and set her upon