"The stem of this lily pad is underwater," said the fish.
"We'll chew through it.
The lily pad will float away and you can escape."
All the fish dived below and began chewing.
Thumbelina heard the toads coming back.
"No one is going to call my son names!" Mrs. Burp yelled.
"Come on, Croaky!"
"I'm coming, Momma," Croaky shouted behind her.
"Please hurry," Thumbelina said to the fish.
The toads got closer.
Suddenly the lily pad began to float away.
"Look!" yelled Mrs. Burp. "She's getting away!"
"Come back here," Croaky shouted at Thumbelina.
"We must do something," the fish said to each other.
Suddenly Croaky began to giggle.
"Hey, stop that!" he laughed.
The fish had surrounded the Burps and started to tickle them with their fins.
"Go away," laughed Mrs. Burp.
But the fish kept tickling.
Thumbelina's lily pad floated down the stream.
"Thank you, my fish friends," Thumbelina called.
She enjoyed the sights around her as the lily pad moved faster.
"I'm so glad to be free," Thumbelina said.
"Look at all the trees and flowers!"
Then Thumbelina's lily pad suddenly stopped.
"Oh no, I'm stuck on a rock," she cried.
"Now what am I going to do?"
A bird above her began to sing, and Thumbelina looked up.
"I wish I had wings like that bird.
I could fly off this lily pad."
The bird had bright blue feathers and a beautiful voice.
"What are you doing here?"asked the bird.
"It's a long story.
Anyway, I'm stuck."
"I'll help you," the bird said.
"Where are you going?"
Thumbelina paused and then answered,
"To see the world!"
"I'm Pete," said the bird.
"Can I go with you?"
"I'm Thumbelina," she said happily.
"And I'd love you to come with me."
Pete looked for a way to help her.
Then he flew away.
A few seconds later, he came back with a long piece of string.
"Tie this to the lily pad," he said.
Thumbelina did so.
"And tie the other end to my leg."
"Now what?" she said.
"Hang on, Thumbelina!" Pete took off into the air.
The lily pad became a flying carpet.
It lifted Thumbelina just above the water.
"Pete! I'm flying!" she shouted.
"This is so much fun!"
She laughed as her hair blew in the wind.
Thumbelina looked at the fish in the water.
They waved good-bye with their fins.
"We're off to the see the world!" her new friend called out.
Thumbelina closed her eyes.
The wind felt cool against her cheek.
"I feel so free," she cried.
Then suddenly something grabbed Thumbelina.