Aprettylittlewhitebutterflyflutteredroundandroundherforsometimeandatlastsettledontheleaf,forithadtakenquiteafancytoThumbelisa; shewassohappynow,becausethetoadcouldnotreachherandshewassailingthroughsuchlovelyscenes; thesunshoneonthewateranditlookedlikeliquidgold. Thenshetookhersashandtiedoneendroundthebutterfly,andtheothershemadefasttotheleafwhichwentglidingonquickerandquicker, andshewithit,forshewasstandingontheleaf. Atthismoment,abigcockchafercameflyingalong; hecaughtsightofherandinaninstant,hefixedhisclawroundherslenderwaistandflewoffwithherupintoatree, butthegreenleaffloateddownthestreamandthebutterflywithit,forhewastiedtoitandcouldnotgetloose. Heavens!HowfrightenedpoorlittleThumbelisawaswhenthecockchafercarriedherupintothetree, butshewasmostofallgrievedabouttheprettywhitebutterflywhichshehadfastenedtotheleaf; ifhecouldnotsucceedingettingloose,hewouldbestarvedtodeath. Butthecockchafercarednothingforthat. Hesettledwithheronthelargestleafonthetree,andfedherwithhoneyfromtheflowers, andhesaidthatshewaslovelyalthoughshewasnotabitlikeachafer. Presentlyalltheotherchaferswhichlivedinthetreecametovisitthem; theylookedatThumbelisaandtheyoungladychaferstwitchedtheirfeelersandsaid, "Shehasalsogottwolegs,whatagoodeffectithas." "Shehasnofeelers,"saidanother."Sheissoslenderinthewaist,fie,shelookslikeahumanbeing." "Howuglysheis,"saidallthemotherchafers,andyetlittleThumbelisawassopretty. Thatwascertainlyalsotheopinionofthecockchaferwhohadcapturedher, butwhenalltheotherssaidshewasugly,heatlastbegantobelieveit,too, andwouldnothaveanythingmoretodowithher,shemightgowhereversheliked! Theyflewdownfromthetreewithherandplacedheronadaisy,whereshecriedbecauseshewassouglythatthechaferswouldhavenothingtodowithher; and,afterall,shewasmorebeautifulthananythingyoucouldimagine,asdelicateandtransparentasthefinestrose-leaf. PoorlittleThumbelisalivedallthesummerquitealoneinthewood. Sheplaitedabedofgrassforherselfandhungitupunderabigdock-leafwhichshelteredherfromtherain; shesuckedthehoneyfromtheflowersforherfood,andherdrinkwasthedewwhichlayontheleavesinthemorning. Inthisway,thesummerandautumnpassed,butthencamethewinter. 
