Intheautumn,alltheswallowsflyawaytowarmcountries,butifonehappenstobebelated, feelsthecoldsomuchthatitfallsdownlikeadeadthing,andremainslyingwhereitfallstillthesnowcoversitup. Thumbelisaquiteshookwithfright,forthebirdwasvery,verybigbesideher,whowasonlyoneinchhigh; butshegathereduphercourage,packedthewoolcloserroundthepoorbird, andfetchedaleafofmintwhichshehadherselfforacoverlet,andlaiditoverthebird'shead. Thenextnight,shestoledownagaintoitandfounditalive, butsofeeblethatitcouldonlyjustopenitseyesforamomenttolookatThumbelisawhostoodwithabitoftinder-woodinherhand,forshehadnootherlantern. "Many,manythanks,yousweetchild,"saidthesickswallowtoher; "youhavewarmedmebeautifully.Ishallsoonhavestrengthtoflyoutintothewarmsunagain." "Oh!"saidshe,"itissocoldoutside,itsnowsandfreezes,stayinyourwarmbed,Iwilltendyou." Thenshebroughtwatertotheswallowinaleaf,andwhenithaddrunksome,ittoldherhowithadtornitswingonablackthornbush, andthereforecouldnotflyasfastastheotherswallowswhichweretakingflightthenforthedistantwarmlands. Atlast,itfelldownontheground,butafterthat,itrememberednothinganddidnotintheleastknowhowithadgotintothetunnel. Itstayedthereallthewinter,andThumbelisawasgoodtoitandgrewveryfondofit. Shedidnottelleitherthemoleorthefield-mouseanythingaboutit,fortheydidnotlikethepoorunfortunateswallow. Assoonasthespringcameandthewarmthofthesunpenetratedtheground, theswallowsaidgoodbyetoThumbelisa,whoopenedtheholewhichthemolehadmadeabove. Thesunstreamedindeliciouslyuponthem,andtheswallowaskedifshewouldnotgowithhim; shecouldsituponhisbackandtheywouldflyfarawayintothegreenwood. ButThumbelisaknewthatitwouldgrievetheoldfield-mouse,ifsheleftherlikethat. "No,Ican't,"saidThumbelisa. "Goodbye,goodbye,then,youkindprettygirl,"saidtheswallow,andflewoutintothesunshine. Thumbelisalookedafterhimandhereyesfilledwithtears,forshewasveryfondofthepoorswallow. "Tweet,tweet,"sangthebird,andflewintothegreenwood. Shewasnotallowedtogointothewarmsunshineatall; thecornwhichwassowninthefieldnearthefield-mouse'shousegrewquitelong; itwasathickforestforthepoorlittlegirlwhowasonlyaninchhigh. 
