Page:Fairy tales and other stories (Andersen, Craigie).djvu/47

 Rh As she was pleased with Thumbelina, she said, 'If you like you may stay with me through the winter, but you must keep my room clean and neat, and tell me stories, for I am very fond of them.'

And Thumbelina did as the kind old Field Mouse bade her, and had a very good time of it.

'Now we shall soon have a visitor,' said the Field Mouse. 'My neighbour is in the habit of visiting me once a week.



He is even better off than I am, has great rooms, and a beautiful black velvety fur. If you could only get him for your husband you would be well provided for; but he cannot see at all. You must tell him the very prettiest stories you know.'

But Thumbelina did not care about this; she would not have the neighbour at all, for he was a Mole. He came and paid his visits in his black velvet coat. The Field Mouse told how rich and how learned he was, and how his house was more than twenty times larger than hers; that he had learning, but that he did not like the sun and