"Youmustworkatyourtrousseauthissummer,"saidthemousetoher, fortheirneighbourthetiresomemoleinhisblackvelvetcoathadaskedhertomarryhim. "Youshallhavebothwoollenandlinen,youshallhavewherewithtoclotheandcoveryourselfwhenyoubecomethemole'swife." Thumbelisahadtoturnthedistaffandthefield-mousehiredfourspiderstospinandweavedayandnight. Themolepaidavisiteveryevening,andhewasalwayssayingthatwhenthesummercametoanend,thesunwouldnotshinenearlysowarmly, nowitburntthegroundashardasastone. Yes,whenthesummerwasover,hewouldcelebratehismarriage; butThumbelisawasnotatallpleased,forshedidnotcareabitforthetiresomemole. Everymorningatsunriseandeveryeveningatsunset,sheusedtostealouttothedoor, andwhenthewindblewasidethetopsofthecornstalkssothatshecouldseethebluesky, shethoughthowbrightandlovelyitwasoutthere,andwishedsomuchtoseethedearswallowagain; nodoubtitwasalongwayoff,flyingaboutinthebeautifulgreenwoods. Whentheautumncame,allThumbelisa'soutfitwasready. "Infourweeksyoumustbemarried,"saidthefield-mousetoher. ButThumbelisacriedandsaidshewouldnothavethetiresomemoleforahusband. "Fiddle-dee-dee,"saidthefield-mouse:"don'tbeobstinateorIshallbiteyouwithmywhitetooth. Youaregoingtohaveasplendidhusband; thequeenherselfhasn'ttheequalofhisblackvelvetcoat; bothhiskitchenandcellararefull. Youshouldthankheavenforsuchahusband!" themolehadcometofetchThumbelisa; shewastolivedeepdownunderthegroundwithhim,andnevertogooutintothewarmsunshine,forhecouldnotbearit. Thepoorchildwasverysadatthethoughtofbiddinggoodbyetothebeautifulsun; whileshehadbeenwiththefield-mouse,shehadatleastbeenallowedtolookatitfromthedoor. "Goodbye,youbrightsun,"shesaid,asshestretchedoutherarmstowardsitandwentalittlewayoutsidethefield-mouse'shouse, fornowtheharvestwasoverandonlythestubbleremained. "Goodbye,goodbye!"shesaid,andthrewhertinyarmsroundalittleredflowergrowingthere. "Givemylovetothedearswallowifyouhappentoseehim." 
