1
00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:19,539
One morning Thumbelina was doing her chores.

2
00:00:19,540 --> 00:00:25,015
"Sweep the floor slowly," Mrs. Gray corrected.

3
00:00:25,016 --> 00:00:29,622
"Or you'll make too much dust."

4
00:00:29,623 --> 00:00:34,179
Then Mrs. Gray looked up at the clock on the wall.

5
00:00:34,180 --> 00:00:38,900
She smiled to herself in a strange way.

6
00:00:38,901 --> 00:00:44,054
Suddenly there was a short knock at the back door.

7
00:00:44,055 --> 00:00:51,515
"It's Mr. Rufus!" exclaimed Mrs. Gray as she opened the door.

8
00:00:51,516 --> 00:00:57,297
Mr. Rufus was a large, brown mole.

9
00:00:57,298 --> 00:01:03,068
Like most moles, Mr. Rufus could not see very well.

10
00:01:03,069 --> 00:01:07,938
So he wore very thick glasses.

11
00:01:07,939 --> 00:01:11,887
He walked into the room holding a cane.

12
00:01:11,888 --> 00:01:17,875
"Good day, Mrs. Gray," he said in a deep voice.

13
00:01:17,876 --> 00:01:22,309
"You were kind to invite me for tea."

14
00:01:22,310 --> 00:01:30,402
Mrs. Gray laughed in an unusually high voice.

15
00:01:30,403 --> 00:01:36,915
"Oh, Mr. Rufus, we are delighted that you could come.

16
00:01:36,916 --> 00:01:40,537
This is Thumbelina."

17
00:01:40,538 --> 00:01:46,602
"Mrs. Gray is acting strangely," thought Thumbelina.

18
00:01:46,603 --> 00:01:53,274
"I'll get the tea," said Mrs. Gray in a sweet voice.

19
00:01:53,275 --> 00:01:59,699
"Thumbelina will stay here and chat with you, Mr. Rufus."

20
00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:04,812
As she was leaving, Mrs. Gray whispered to Thumbelina,

21
00:02:04,813 --> 00:02:09,348
"Mr. Rufus is a fine gentleman.

22
00:02:09,349 --> 00:02:12,235
And he is very rich.

23
00:02:12,236 --> 00:02:15,237
Be kind to him."

24
00:02:15,238 --> 00:02:18,866
Thumbelina sat next to Mr. Rufus.

25
00:02:18,867 --> 00:02:21,685
He did not speak.

26
00:02:21,686 --> 00:02:27,858
"I hope winter is almost over," Thumbelina said.

27
00:02:27,859 --> 00:02:34,076
"Winter is never long enough," said Mr. Rufus with a grunt.

28
00:02:34,077 --> 00:02:38,133
"But it's so cold," said Thumbelina.

29
00:02:38,134 --> 00:02:45,308
"Not where I live," said Mr. Rufus, and he grunted again.

30
00:02:45,309 --> 00:02:49,822
"I live in the deepest hole around here."

31
00:02:49,823 --> 00:02:52,984
"But isn't that too far underground?

32
00:02:52,985 --> 00:02:58,605
You can't see—," Thumbelina glanced at his thick glasses.

33
00:02:58,606 --> 00:03:02,262
"I mean, you wouldn't feel the sunshine.

34
00:03:02,263 --> 00:03:05,159
Or hear the birds."

35
00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:10,489
"Bah!" Mr. Rufus waved his hand.

36
00:03:10,490 --> 00:03:12,926
"Who needs sunshine?

37
00:03:12,927 --> 00:03:15,586
And birds are horrible.

38
00:03:15,587 --> 00:03:20,049
They're messy. They steal food."

39
00:03:20,050 --> 00:03:26,124
Thumbelina thought about Pete, Kris, and Maggie.

40
00:03:26,125 --> 00:03:29,934
"I don't agree with you, sir," she said.

41
00:03:29,935 --> 00:03:31,931
"I have bird friends.

42
00:03:31,932 --> 00:03:34,458
They are very kind.

43
00:03:34,459 --> 00:03:37,385
They taught me many songs."

44
00:03:37,386 --> 00:03:41,362
Mr. Rufus turned his head toward Thumbelina.

45
00:03:41,363 --> 00:03:44,835
"Sing one," he said.

46
00:03:44,836 --> 00:03:49,487
"Oh, I couldn't." Thumbelina blushed.

47
00:03:49,488 --> 00:03:54,749
"Bah! You mean you can't," the mole said.

48
00:03:54,750 --> 00:03:56,782
"I'm not surprised.

49
00:03:56,783 --> 00:04:00,536
Nothing good comes from birds."

50
00:04:00,537 --> 00:04:04,098
"That's not true," said Thumbelina.

51
00:04:04,099 --> 00:04:06,414
"I'll sing you a song."

52
00:04:06,415 --> 00:04:10,863
Thumbelina began singing softly.

53
00:04:10,864 --> 00:04:15,917
Her voice rose sweetly.

54
00:04:15,918 --> 00:04:20,446
She was thinking of how much she missed Mrs. Marigold.

55
00:04:20,447 --> 00:04:24,433
Mr. Rufus started to smile.

56
00:04:24,434 --> 00:04:31,074
"It's working," Mrs. Gray said, watching from the kitchen.

57
00:04:31,075 --> 00:04:36,090
"Mrs. Gray was right," thought Mr. Rufus.

58
00:04:36,091 --> 00:04:39,955
"Thumbelina has the loveliest voice.

59
00:04:39,956 --> 00:04:45,151
Yes, she will make a good wife for me."

60
00:04:45,152 --> 00:04:50,186
Thumbelina was not thinking of the mole or the mouse.

61
00:04:50,187 --> 00:04:54,278
Her song was taking her back home.

62
00:04:54,279 --> 00:05:12,642
So she just kept singing.