Thenshebroughthimwaterinapetal，whichhedrank，afterwhichherelatedtoherhowhehadtornoneofhiswingsonabramble，sothathecouldnotflyasfastastheotherswallows，whohadflownfarawaytowarmerlands。Soatlasthehaddroppeddownexhausted，andthenhecouldremembernomore。Thewholewinterheremaineddownthere，andThumbelinalookedafterhimandnursedhimtenderly。Neitherthemolenorthefield-mouselearntanythingofthis，fortheycouldnotbearthepoorswallow。
Whenthespringcame，andthesunwarmedtheearthagain，theswallowsaidfarewelltoThumbelina，whoopenedtheholeintheroofforhimwhichthemolehadmade。Thesunshonebrightlydownuponher，andtheswallowaskedherifshewouldgowithhim；shecouldsituponhisback。Thumbelinawantedverymuchtoflyfarawayintothegreenwood，butsheknewthattheoldfield-mousewouldbesadifsheranaway。’No，Imustn’tcome！’
shesaid。
’Farewell，deargoodlittlegirl！’saidtheswallow，andflewoffintothesunshine。Thumbelinagazedafterhimwiththetearsstandinginhereyes，forshewasveryfondoftheswallow。
’Tweet，tweet！’sangthebird，andflewintothegreenwood。