Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/84

HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES 'Thanks to thee, thou sweet little child!' said the sick swallow. 'I feel delightfully warm now; soon I shall recover my strength, and be able to fly again, out in the warm sunshine.'

'Oh, no,' she replied, 'it is too cold without, it snows and freezes! Thou must stay in thy warm bed; I will take care of thee.'

She brought the swallow water in a flower-petal and he drank, and then he told her how he had torn one of his wings in a thorn bush, and therefore could not fly fast enough to keep up with the other swallows who were all migrating to the warm countries. He had at last fallen to the earth, and more than that he could not remember; he did not at all know how he had got underground.

However, underground he remained all the winter long, and Tommelise was kind to him, and loved him dearly, but she never said a word about him either to the mole or the field-mouse, for she knew they could not endure the poor swallow.

As soon as the spring came and the sun's warmth had penetrated the earth, the swallow said farewell to Tommelise, and she opened for him the covering of earth which the mole had thrown back before. The sun shone in upon them so deliciously, and the swallow asked whether she would not go with him; she might sit upon his back, and then they would fly together far out into the greenwood. But Tommelise knew it would vex the old field-mouse if she were to leave her.

'No, I cannot, I must not go,' said Tommelise.

'Fare thee well, then, thou good and pretty maiden,' said the swallow, and away he flew into the sunshine. Tommelise looked after him and the tears came into her eyes, for she loved the poor swallow so much. 62