Thumbelina · chapter 4 of 4
Flying South
飞到南方
Thumbelina has one last day before a wedding she does not want. Then a friend comes back with strong wings.
Read what you hear
- The Swallow 我……我在哪儿？
Wǒ… wǒ zài nǎr?
Where… where am I?
- Thumbelina 别怕，燕子。你在鼹鼠的路里。
Bié pà, yànzi. Nǐ zài Yǎnshǔ de lù lǐ.
Don't be afraid, swallow. You're in Mr. Mole's tunnel.
- The Swallow 我的翅膀好疼，我飞不了。
Wǒ de chìbǎng hǎo téng, wǒ fēi bù liǎo.
My wing hurts so much. I can't fly.
Chapter 4 is part of SayMei Stories Unlimited ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Chapters 1 and 2 of Thumbelina are free, and The Second Cup of Tea, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, The Kitchen God, Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, Chang'e and the Moon, Alice in Wonderland and Judge Dee's Cases are free from start to finish.
- The Swallow 冬天的风太冷了，我飞不动了。
Dōngtiān de fēng tài lěng le, wǒ fēi bú dòng le.
The winter wind was too cold. I couldn't go on.
- Thumbelina 我给你水，也给你吃的。你会好的。
Wǒ gěi nǐ shuǐ, yě gěi nǐ chī de. Nǐ huì hǎo de.
I'll give you water and food. You'll get better.
- The Swallow 谢谢你，好心的小女孩。你叫什么名字？
Xièxie nǐ, hǎoxīn de xiǎo nǚhái. Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
Thank you, kind little girl. What is your name?
- Thumbelina 我叫拇指姑娘。你快吃吧！
Wǒ jiào Mǔzhǐ Gūniang. Nǐ kuài chī ba!
I'm Thumbelina. Please eat!
- Narrator 整个冬天，拇指姑娘都在照顾燕子。
Zhěnggè dōngtiān, Mǔzhǐ Gūniang dōu zài zhàogù yànzi.
All winter long, Thumbelina took care of the swallow.
- The Swallow 春天来了！我的翅膀好了！
Chūntiān lái le! Wǒ de chìbǎng hǎo le!
Spring is here! My wing is well!
- The Swallow 拇指姑娘，坐到我身上来！我们去南方！
Mǔzhǐ Gūniang, zuò dào wǒ shēnshang lái! Wǒmen qù nánfāng!
Thumbelina, climb on my back! Let's go south!
- Thumbelina 我很想去……可是田鼠对我很好。
Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù… kěshì Tiánshǔ duì wǒ hěn hǎo.
I really want to… but Field Mouse is so good to me.
- Field Mouse 拇指姑娘！有好事！
Mǔzhǐ Gūniang! Yǒu hǎo shì!
Thumbelina! Good news!
- Field Mouse 鼹鼠先生要你做他的太太！
Yǎnshǔ xiānsheng yào nǐ zuò tā de tàitai!
Mr. Mole wants you to be his wife!
- Field Mouse 你的衣服还没做好。快做吧！
Nǐ de yīfu hái méi zuò hǎo. Kuài zuò ba!
Your dress isn't finished. Hurry and sew!
- Thumbelina 可是我不想住在他家！
Kěshì wǒ bù xiǎng zhù zài tā jiā!
But I don't want to live in his house!
- Field Mouse 别不高兴！他很有钱，也很喜欢你！
Bié bù gāoxìng! Tā hěn yǒuqián, yě hěn xǐhuan nǐ!
Don't be sad! He is very rich and he likes you!
- Thumbelina 我住在他家，就看不见太阳了……
Wǒ zhù zài tā jiā, jiù kàn bú jiàn tàiyáng le…
If I live in his house, I'll never see the sun…
- Thumbelina 太阳，再见了。花，再见了。
Tàiyáng, zàijiàn le. Huā, zàijiàn le.
Goodbye, sun. Goodbye, flowers.
- The Swallow 拇指姑娘！你想跟我走吗？
Mǔzhǐ Gūniang! Nǐ xiǎng gēn wǒ zǒu ma?
Thumbelina! Do you want to come with me?
- Thumbelina 想！我想跟你走！
Xiǎng! Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ zǒu!
Yes! I want to go with you!
- The Swallow 坐好！我们飞了！
Zuò hǎo! Wǒmen fēi le!
Hold on tight! Here we go!
- Thumbelina 哇！你看，山，河，还有大海！
Wā! Nǐ kàn, shān, hé, hái yǒu dàhǎi!
Wow! Look, mountains, rivers and the sea!
- The Swallow 看，前面就是南方了！
Kàn, qiánmiàn jiù shì nánfāng le!
Look, the south is right ahead!
- Thumbelina 花园好大！花是白的，红的，黄的！
Huāyuán hǎo dà! Huā shì bái de, hóng de, huáng de!
What a huge garden! White, red and yellow flowers!
- The Flower Prince 你好！你和我一样小！你是谁？
Nǐ hǎo! Nǐ hé wǒ yíyàng xiǎo! Nǐ shì shéi?
Hello! You're as small as me! Who are you?
- Thumbelina 我叫拇指姑娘。我从很远的地方来。
Wǒ jiào Mǔzhǐ Gūniang. Wǒ cóng hěn yuǎn de dìfang lái.
I'm Thumbelina. I come from very far away.
- The Flower Prince 我是花园的王子。你想做我的太太吗？
Wǒ shì huāyuán de wángzǐ. Nǐ xiǎng zuò wǒ de tàitai ma?
I am the prince of this garden. Would you like to be my wife?
- Thumbelina 想！这里有太阳，有花，还有你！
Xiǎng! Zhèlǐ yǒu tàiyáng, yǒu huā, hái yǒu nǐ!
Yes! There is sun here, and flowers, and you!
- Thumbelina 我终于有一个家了！
Wǒ zhōngyú yǒu yí gè jiā le!
At last I have a home!
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- Why can't the swallow fly at first?
“我的翅膀好疼，我飞不了。”
- What does Thumbelina do all winter?
“整个冬天，拇指姑娘都在照顾燕子。”
- Why is Thumbelina sad about marrying Mr. Mole?
“我住在他家，就看不见太阳了……”
- How does Thumbelina go south?
“坐好！我们飞了！”
- Who does Thumbelina meet in the south?
“我是花园的王子。”