howsheshiveredwiththecold.shecameatlasttothedoorofafield-mouse,whohadalittledenunderthecorn-stubble.theredweltthefield-mouseinwarmthandcomfort,withawholeroomfulofcorn,akitchen,andabeautifuldiningroom.poorlittletinystoodbeforethedoorjustlikealittlebeggar-girl,andbeggedforasmallpieceofbarley-corn,forshehadbeenwithoutamorseltoeatfortwodays.

"youpoorlittlecreature,"saidthefield-mouse,whowasreallyagoodoldfield-mouse,"comeintomywarmroomanddinewithme."shewasverypleasedwithtiny,soshesaid,"youarequitewelcometostaywithmeallthewinter,ifyoulike;butyoumustkeepmyroomscleanandneat,andtellmestories,forishallliketohearthemverymuch."andtinydidallthefield-mouseaskedher,andfoundherselfverycomfortable.

"weshallhaveavisitorsoon,"saidthefield-mouseoneday;"myneighborpaysmeavisitonceaweek.heisbetteroffthaniam;hehaslargerooms,andwearsabeautifulblackvelvetcoat.ifyoucouldonlyhavehimforahusband,youwouldbewellprovidedforindeed.butheisblind,soyoumusttellhimsomeofyourprettieststories.

buttinydidnotfeelatallinterestedaboutthisneighbor,forhewasamole.however,hecameandpaidhisvisitdressedinhisblackvelvetcoat.

"heisveryrichandlearned,andhishouseistwentytimeslargerthanmine,"saidthefield-mouse.

hewasrichandlearned,nodoubt,buthealwaysspokeslightinglyofthesunandtheprettyflowers,becausehehadneverseenywasobligedtosingtohim,"lady-bird,lady-bird,flyawayhome,"andmanyotherprettysongs.andthemolefellinlovewithherbecauseshehadsuchasweetvoice;buthesaidnothingyet,forhewasverycautious.ashorttimebefore,themolehaddugalongpassageundertheearth,whichledfromthedwellingofthefield-mousetohisown,andhereshehadpermissiontowalkwithtinywheneversheliked.buthewarnedthemnottobealarmedatthesightofadeadbirdwhichlayinthepassage.itwasaperfectbird,withabeakandfeathers,andcouldnothavebeendeadlong,andwaslyingjustwherethemolehadmadehispassage.themoletookapieceofphosphorescentwoodinhismouth,anditglitteredlikefireinthedark;thenhewentbeforethemtolightthemthroughthelong,darkpassage.whentheycametothespotwherelaythedeadbird,themolepushedhisbroadnosethroughtheceiling,theearthgaveway,sothattherewasalargehole,andthedaylightshoneintothepassage.inthemiddleofthefloorlayadeadswallow,hisbeautifulwingspulledclosetohissides,hisfeetandhisheaddrawnupunderhisfeathers;thepoorbirdhadevidentlydiedofthemadelittletinyverysadtoseeit,shedidsolovethelittlebirds;allthesummertheyhadsungandtwitteredforhersobeautifully.butthemolepusheditasidewithhiscrookedlegs,andsaid,"hewillsingnomorenow.howmiserableitmustbetobebornalittlebird!iamthankfulthatnoneofmychildrenwilleverbebirds,fortheycandonothingbutcry,'tweet,tweet,'andalwaysdieofhungerinthewinter."

"yes,youmaywellsaythat,asacleverman!"exclaimedthefield-mouse,"whatistheuseofhistwittering,forwhenwintercomeshemusteitherstarveorbefrozentodeath.stillbirdsareveryhighbred."

tinysaidnothing;butwhenthetwoothershadturnedtheirbacksonthebird,shestoopeddownandstrokedasidethesoftfeatherswhichcoveredthehead,andkissedtheclosedeyelids."perhapsthiswastheonewhosangtomesosweetlyinthesummer,"shesaid;"andhowmuchpleasureitgaveme,youdear,prettybird."

themolenowstoppeduptheholethroughwhichthedaylightshone,andthenaccompaniedtheladyhome.butduringthenighttinycouldnotsleep;soshegotoutofbedandwovealarge,beautifulcarpetofhay;thenshecarriedittothedeadbird,andspreaditoverhim;withsomedownfromtheflowerswhichshehadfoundinthefield-mouse'sroom.itwasassoftaswool,andshespreadsomeofitoneachsideofthebird,sothathemightliewarmlyinthecoldearth."farewell,youprettylittlebird,"saidshe,"farewell;thankyouforyourdelightfulsingingduringthesummer,whenallthetreesweregreen,andthewarmsunshoneuponus.thenshelaidherheadonthebird'sbreast,butshewasalarmedimmediately,foritseemedasifsomethinginsidethebirdwent"thump,thump."itwasthebird'sheart;hewasnotreallydead,onlybenumbedwiththecold,andthewarmthhadrestoredhimtolife.inautumn,alltheswallowsflyawayintowarmcountries,butifonehappenstolinger,thecoldseizesit,itbecomesfrozen,andfallsdownasifdead;itremainswhereitfell,andthecoldsnowcoversit.tinytrembledverymuch;shewasquitefrightened,forthebirdwaslarge,agreatdeallargerthanherself,-shewasonlyaninchhigh.butshetookcourage,laidthewoolmorethicklyoverthepoorswallow,andthentookaleafwhichshehadusedforherowncounterpane,andlaiditovertheheadofthepoorbird.thenextmorningsheagainstoleouttoseehim.hewasalivebutveryweak;hecouldonlyopenhiseyesforamomenttolookattiny,whostoodbyholdingapieceofdecayedwoodinherhand,forshehadnootherlantern."thankyou,prettylittlemaiden,"saidthesickswallow;"ihavebeensonicelywarmed,thatishallsoonregainmystrength,andbeabletoflyaboutagaininthewarmsunshine."

"oh,"saidshe,"itiscoldoutofdoorsnow;itsnowsandfreezes.stayinyourwarmbed;iwilltakecareofyou."

thenshebroughttheswallowsomewaterinaflower-leaf,andafterhehaddrank,hetoldherthathehadwoundedoneofhiswingsinathorn-bush,andcouldnotflyasfastastheothers,whoweresoonfarawayontheirjourneytowarmcountries.thenatlasthehadfallentotheearth,andcouldremembernomore,norhowhecametobewhereshehadfoundhim.thewholewintertheswallowremainedunderground,andtinynursedhimwithcareandlove.neitherthemolenorthefield-mouseknewanythingaboutit,fortheydidnotlikeswallows.verysoonthespringtimecame,andthesunwarmedtheearth.thentheswallowbadefarewelltotiny,andsheopenedtheholeintheceilingwhichthemolehadmade.thesunshoneinuponthemsobeautifully,thattheswallowaskedherifshewouldgowithhim;shecouldsitonhisback,hesaid,andhewouldflyawaywithherintothegreenwoods.buttinyknewitwouldmakethefield-mouseverygrievedifsheleftherinthatmanner,soshesaid,"no,icannot."

"farewell,then,farewell,yougood,prettylittlemaiden,"saidtheswallow;andheflewoutintothesunshine.

tinylookedafterhim,andthetearsroseinhereyes.shewasveryfondofthepoorswallow.

"tweet,tweet,"sangthebird,asheflewoutintothegreenwoods,andtinyfeltverysad.shewasnotallowedtogooutintothewarmsunshine.thecornwhichhadbeensowninthefieldoverthehouseofthefield-mousehadgrownuphighintotheair,andformedathickwoodtotiny,whowasonlyaninchinheight.

"youaregoingtobemarried,tiny,"saidthefield-mouse."myneighborhasaskedforyou.whatgoodfortuneforapoorchildlikeyou.nowwewillprepareyourweddingclothes.theymustbebothwoollenandlinen.nothingmustbewantingwhenyouarethemole'swife."

tinyhadtoturnthespindle,andthefield-mousehiredfourspiders,whoweretoweavedayandnight.everyeveningthemolevisitedher,andwascontinuallyspeakingofthetimewhenthesummerwouldbeover.thenhewouldkeephiswedding-daywithtiny;butnowtheheatofthesunwassogreatthatitburnedtheearth,andmadeitquitehard,likeastone.assoon,asthesummerwasover,theweddingshouldtakeplace.buttinywasnotatallpleased;forshedidnotlikethetiresomemole.everymorningwhenthesunrose,andeveryeveningwhenitwentdown,shewouldcreepoutatthedoor,andasthewindblewasidetheearsofcorn,sothatshecouldseethebluesky,shethoughthowbeautifulandbrightitseemedoutthere,andwishedsomuchtoseeherdearswallowagain.butheneverreturned;forbythistimehehadflownfarawayintothelovelygreenforest.

whenautumnarrived,tinyhadheroutfitquiteready;andthefield-mousesaidtoher,"infourweekstheweddingmusttakeplace."

thentinywept,andsaidshewouldnotmarrythedisagreeablemole.

"nonsense,"repliedthefield-mouse."nowdon'tbeobstinate,orishallbiteyouwithmywhiteteeth.heisaveryhandsomemole;thequeenherselfdoesnotwearmorebeautifulvelvetsandfurs.hiskitchenandcellarsarequitefull.yououghttobeverythankfulforsuchgoodfortune."

sothewedding-daywasfixed,onwhichthemolewastofetchtinyawaytolivewithhim,deepundertheearth,andneveragaintoseethewarmsun,becausehedidnotlikeit.thepoorchildwasveryunhappyatthethoughtofsayingfarewelltothebeautifulsun,andasthefield-mousehadgivenherpermissiontostandatthedoor,shewenttolookatitoncemore.

"farewellbrightsun,"shecried,stretchingoutherarmtowardsit;andthenshewalkedashortdistancefromthehouse;forthecornhadbeencut,andonlythedrystubbleremainedinthefields."farewell,farewell,"sherepeated,twiningherarmroundalittleredflowerthatgrewjustbyherside."greetthelittleswallowfromme,ifyoushouldseehimagain."

"tweet,tweet,"soundedoverherheadsuddenly.shelookedup,andtherewastheswallowhimselfflyingcloseby.assoonashespiedtiny,hewasdelighted;andthenshetoldhimhowunwillingshefelttomarrytheuglymole,andtolivealwaysbeneaththeearth,andnevertoseethebrightsunanymore.andasshetoldhimshewept.

"coldwinteriscoming,"saidtheswallow,"andiamgoingtoflyawayintowarmercountries.willyougowithme?