“Farewell, then, good little maiden,” said the swallow, and flew off into the pleasant sunshine. Ellie looked after him sorrowfully, and tears came into her eyes; for she liked the friendly bird very much, and was sorry to part from him. She felt quite forlorn now he was gone.
“Chirup! chirup! chirup!” sang the swallow, and flew away toward the green wood.
Ellie was now very sad, for she was not allowed to go out of the dark hole to enjoy the warm sunshine. The corn grew up above her, and formed quite a thick wood before the dwelling of the field-mouse.
“You can employ the summer in getting your wedding-clothes ready, and what you want in housekeeping,” said the mouse; for her neighbor, the tiresome mole, had really proposed for Ellie.
“I will give you all you want, both woollen and linen,” said the mouse, “so that you may have a house full when you are the wife of the mole.”
So Ellie was obliged to spin at the bobbins,
