Winter arrived. All the flowers had died and the wind blew cold.
Thumbelina wore a coat made of leaves until it fell apart.
She could not keep herself warm and she had no food.
"Where is everybody?"
Thumbelina asked out loud.
"Does everyone have a home but me?"
One morning Thumbelina woke up in a dried-up corn field.
Big snowflakes fell around her.
"I need to find shelter,"
she said, looking in every direction.
Just then Thumbelina saw a dark hole by a corn husk.
"That looks like a good place to sleep," she said.
"I'll just curl up inside for a while."
Thumbelina walked over to the hole and peeked in.
"Why, there's a door here!" she exclaimed.
As she started to knock, the door opened.
"Goodness me!" a mouse cried.
"You look half frozen.
Come inside at once."
Thankfully, Thumbelina took one step forward.
"Wait! Wipe your feet first," said the mouse.
She pointed to a mat on the floor.
When Thumbelina finally got inside, the house was warm and cozy.
It was very clean too.
"I'm Thumbelina," she said.
"You have a lovely home."
"I know. I'm Mrs. Gray.
Now wait here.
I'll bring you something to eat."
Thumbelina sat on a chair and fell asleep right away.
When she woke up, Mrs. Gray fed her.
Then Thumbelina fell asleep again.
She was very weak.
"Poor little thing," said Mrs. Gray.
"I'll take good care of you."
And she did.
Soon Thumbelina was feeling stronger.
"How can I thank you?" she asked Mrs. Gray one day.
Mrs. Gray was polishing her furniture.
She thought for a minute.
"Well, I'm old," she said finally.
"If you wish to stay, you must help me."
From that day on, Mrs. Gray taught Thumbelina many things.
"Don't hold your needle like that,"
Mrs. Gray said as she showed Thumbelina how to sew.
"Don't let the turnips boil too long,"
Mrs. Gray said as she taught Thumbelina how to cook.
Thumbelina was a fast learner.
Everything Mrs. Gray said, Thumbelina did.
One day Mrs. Gray watched Thumbelina sewing.
"She's doing it just the way I taught her," Mrs. Gray said to herself proudly.
Then, for the first time, Thumbelina began to sing.
"What a lovely voice she has!" Mrs. Gray thought.
She suddenly had an idea.
It was a great idea.
"Yes, Thumbelina would be perfect," she thought.
"She would be a perfect bride for Mr. Rufus."