Thumbelina · chapter 2 of 4
The Toad's Son
蟾蜍的儿子
Carried off to a pond, Thumbelina must escape a toad's wedding plan, then survive summer and a snowy winter alone.
Hear the chapter
Read what you hear
- Thumbelina 妈妈？妈妈！你在哪儿？我在哪儿？
Māma? Māma! Nǐ zài nǎr? Wǒ zài nǎr?
Mama? Mama! Where are you? Where am I?
- The Toad 你在水里的荷叶上，小女孩。
Nǐ zài shuǐ lǐ de héyè shàng, xiǎo nǚhái.
You're on a lily leaf in the water, little girl.
- The Toad 我的儿子来了。看，他多高兴！
Wǒ de érzi lái le. Kàn, tā duō gāoxìng!
My son is here. Look how happy he is!
- The Toad's Son 妈妈，她好小！我要她做我的太太。
Māma, tā hǎo xiǎo! Wǒ yào tā zuò wǒ de tàitai.
Mama, she is so small! I want her to be my wife.
- Thumbelina 我不要做你的太太！我要回家！
Wǒ bú yào zuò nǐ de tàitai! Wǒ yào huí jiā!
I don't want to be your wife! I want to go home!
- The Toad 你不能回家。你在这儿等一等。
Nǐ bù néng huí jiā. Nǐ zài zhèr děng yi děng.
You can't go home. Wait here.
- The Toad 我们去准备房子。明天你们就结婚！
Wǒmen qù zhǔnbèi fángzi. Míngtiān nǐmen jiù jiéhūn!
We'll go get the house ready. Tomorrow you two will be married!
- Narrator 蟾蜍们走了。拇指姑娘一个人坐在荷叶上，哭了。
Chánchú men zǒu le. Mǔzhǐ Gūniang yí gè rén zuò zài héyè shàng, kū le.
The toads went away. Thumbelina sat alone on the lily leaf and cried.
- Thumbelina 我不想住在水里。我想回妈妈那儿！
Wǒ bù xiǎng zhù zài shuǐ lǐ. Wǒ xiǎng huí māma nàr!
I don't want to live in the water. I want to go back to Mama!
- The Fish 小女孩，别哭。我们来帮你。
Xiǎo nǚhái, bié kū. Wǒmen lái bāng nǐ.
Little girl, don't cry. We'll help you.
- The Fish 我们一起推，荷叶就会走开！
Wǒmen yìqǐ tuī, héyè jiù huì zǒukāi!
If we all push together, the leaf will float away!
- Thumbelina 谢谢你们，小鱼！荷叶动了，我走了！
Xièxie nǐmen, xiǎo yú! Héyè dòng le, wǒ zǒu le!
Thank you, little fish! The leaf is moving, I'm free!
- The Beetle 哇！你们看！这里有一个女孩！
Wā! Nǐmen kàn! Zhèlǐ yǒu yí gè nǚhái!
Wow! Look! There's a girl here!
- The Beetle 我要带你回我家，好不好？
Wǒ yào dài nǐ huí wǒ jiā, hǎo bu hǎo?
I'll take you to my home, all right?
- The Beetle 朋友们，快来看我的新朋友！
Péngyoumen, kuài lái kàn wǒ de xīn péngyou!
Friends, come and see my new friend!
- Beetle's Friend 她只有两条腿，也没有翅膀！
Tā zhǐyǒu liǎng tiáo tuǐ, yě méiyǒu chìbǎng!
She has only two legs, and no wings!
- Beetle's Friend 她太难看了！她不是我们的朋友！
Tā tài nánkàn le! Tā bú shì wǒmen de péngyou!
She's so ugly! She's not our friend!
- The Beetle 是啊……你们说得对。走吧，小女孩。
Shì a… nǐmen shuō de duì. Zǒu ba, xiǎo nǚhái.
Yes… you're right. Go away, little girl.
- Thumbelina 我不难看……我只是很小。
Wǒ bù nánkàn… wǒ zhǐshì hěn xiǎo.
I'm not ugly… I'm just small.
- Thumbelina 夏天，花是我的家，草是我的床。
Xiàtiān, huā shì wǒ de jiā, cǎo shì wǒ de chuáng.
In summer, a flower is my home and grass is my bed.
- Thumbelina 可是，天越来越冷了。
Kěshì, tiān yuè lái yuè lěng le.
But it's getting colder and colder.
- Thumbelina 下雪了！我的鞋坏了，我好冷！
Xià xuě le! Wǒ de xié huài le, wǒ hǎo lěng!
It's snowing! My shoes are worn out and I'm so cold!
- Thumbelina 我好饿，也不知道去哪儿……
Wǒ hǎo è, yě bù zhīdào qù nǎr…
I'm so hungry, and I don't know where to go…
- Thumbelina 咦，那儿有一个小门！
Yí, nàr yǒu yí gè xiǎo mén!
Oh, there is a little door over there!
- Thumbelina 有人吗？我好冷，也很饿！
Yǒu rén ma? Wǒ hǎo lěng, yě hěn è!
Is anyone there? I'm so cold and hungry!
- Field Mouse 谁呀？哎呀，一个小女孩！快进来！
Shéi ya? Āiyā, yí gè xiǎo nǚhái! Kuài jìnlái!
Who is it? Oh my, a little girl! Come in quickly!
- Field Mouse 我是田鼠。明天有一位有钱的朋友要来！
Wǒ shì Tiánshǔ. Míngtiān yǒu yí wèi yǒuqián de péngyou yào lái!
I'm a field mouse. Tomorrow a very rich friend is coming!
What changed in the story?
- Where is Thumbelina when she wakes up?
“你在水里的荷叶上，小女孩。”
- Who helps Thumbelina float away?
“小女孩，别哭。我们来帮你。”……“我们一起推，荷叶就会走开！”
- Why does the beetle send her away?
“她太难看了！”
- Why is Thumbelina so cold?
“下雪了！我的鞋坏了，我好冷！”
- Who lives behind the little door?
“我是田鼠。”