Thumbelina felt like crying.
She was scared, hungry, and lonely.
"I will not cry," she said aloud.
"At least I am free.
No one is trying to catch me."
She felt better.
Thumbelina wandered for many days.
It was not easy to survive in the forest.
Thumbelina used a leaf as an umbrella when it rained.
At night she slept on soft moss in a tree root.
Every morning, Thumbelina washed her face with dew from the grass.
Then she'd climb a flower and eat a petal or two.
"I'm tired of eating flowers every day," she said.
She was nibbling on a lily.
"Tired of flowers?" said a red bug with black dots.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Thumbelina.
"I didn't see you.
I'll go to another flower."
"I'm a ladybug. I don't eat flowers," said the bug.
"I eat tiny insects."
"Don't eat me!
I'm not an insect. I'm Thumbelina."
"And my name is Ladybird," laughed the ladybug.
"Would you like these insects?
They're very good."
"No, thank you," Thumbelina said quickly.
"How about some blueberries?" said Ladybird, smiling.
"I can show you where they grow. Follow me."
Thumbelina clapped her hands and said,
"That sounds wonderful. Thank you!"
Suddenly the ladybug opened her wings to fly.
The lily started to move back and forth.
Thumbelina lost her balance and fell off the flower.
"Hey!" She landed on a sand hill and slid down a dark tunnel.
"Enemy alert!" someone shouted.
Thumbelina was inside an anthill.
Many ants were lined up like soldiers.
A big ant pointed at her.
"Get out, stranger!"
"I . . . what happened was …," Thumbelina stammered.
"We must protect our queen.
Forward march!" the ant shouted.
"Please, it's all a mistake.
I'll get out," Thumbelina cried.
She tried to climb back up the tunnel.
"This sand is so slippery!" she said, frustrated.
"Capture the enemy!" shouted the ants.
Finally Thumbelina climbed up and out.
She glanced behind her.
It looked like a black wave was coming toward her.
"What am I going to do?" she cried.
"Keep marching!" shouted the big ant to the others.
Thumbelina turned and ran as fast as she could.
"There are so many of them!"
she screamed, afraid to look behind her again.
Just then Thumbelina saw a small hole in a tree.
She ran inside and hid herself with a fallen leaf.
"Maybe they won't find me here," she gasped.
The ants ran around the tree and kept going.
Their voices faded.
At last Thumbelina could not hear them anymore.
Thumbelina was safe for now.