The Field Mouse Hired Four Spiders

Grandma Lu said, "When Thumbelina went to visit her little cardinal he said, 'It is spring time now, a warmer season. The fruit trees are blossoming. The blossoms are little flowers that are beautiful and smell so good.  It is time for me to say goodbye, little girl'."
Thumbelina opened up a little hole in the tunnel so that the bird could fly away. The sun was shining and it was warm outside. The bird said, 'Are you sure you won't fly away with me? You could sit on my back and we could fly into the beautiful green forest'."

Grandma Lu asked the children, "What do you think Thumbelina will do? Will she fly away with the beautiful bird or will she stay and marry the mole even though she doesn't want to?"
Most of the children thought that she would fly away with the beautiful red bird because he was her friend. But the answer was a surprise.
Grandma Lu said, "Actually, Thumbelina told the bird that she couldn't fly away with him because she didn't want to upset the field mouse. She said that she had been so good to her. She had fed her and her house had kept her warm through the winter so she didn't feel that she could fly away."
 "The field mouse was all excited and said, 'The mole has asked to marry you. You are so lucky. You are a poor child; now you will be rich. We have to get busy and make your wedding clothes. They must be warm and beautiful. I will hire four spiders to spin your new beautiful clothes. The material will feel very soft and keep you warm as well as make you even more beautiful. It will be called both linen and woolen'."

"Tiny or Thumbelina as we call her was not happy. In fact she was very sad. The thought of never seeing the sun or the flowers or the beautiful blue sky was just too much. It was soon going to be time to marry the old mole. She looked outside and it was so beautiful."

"She thought that she heard a familiar voice. 'Tweet tweet'. It was her friend, the cardinal. He said, 'I am going to a warmer place. Will you go with  me? You can sit on my back. You can take that little ribbon you wear around your waist and tie it to me. We can go far away from the ugly mole and go where the sun shines and the flowers bloom. You saved my life, now it is time for me to save you from a life of darkness and gloom'."

"Guess what? Thumbelina said, 'Yes, I will go with you. She crawled up on the bird's back and away they went."

"Wel, well, well. I guess Thumbelina has changed her mind. She is off on an adventure isn't she?"