sotheyassembledtogetherinthewater,roundthegreenstalkwhichheldtheleafonwhichthelittlemaidenstood,andgnaweditawayattherootwiththeirteeth.thentheleaffloateddownthestream,carryingtinyfarawayoutofreachofland.

tinysailedpastmanytowns,andthelittlebirdsinthebushessawher,andsang,"whatalovelylittlecreature;"sotheleafswamawaywithherfartherandfarther,tillitbroughthertoothergracefullittlewhitebutterflyconstantlyflutteredroundher,andatlastalightedontheleaf.tinypleasedhim,andshewasgladofit,fornowthetoadcouldnotpossiblyreachher,andthecountrythroughwhichshesailedwasbeautiful,andthesunshoneuponthewater,tillitglitteredlikeliquidgold.shetookoffhergirdleandtiedoneendofitroundthebutterfly,andtheotherendoftheribbonshefastenedtotheleaf,whichnowglidedonmuchfasterthanever,takinglittletinywithitasshestood.presentlyalargecockchaferflewby;themomenthecaughtsightofher,heseizedherroundherdelicatewaistwithhisclaws,andflewwithherintoatree.thegreenleaffloatedawayonthebrook,andthebutterflyflewwithit,forhewasfastenedtoit,andcouldnotgetaway.

oh,howfrightenedlittletinyfeltwhenthecockchaferflewwithhertothetree!butespeciallywasshesorryforthebeautifulwhitebutterflywhichshehadfastenedtotheleaf,forifhecouldnotfreehimselfhewoulddieofhunger.butthecockchaferdidnottroublehimselfatallaboutthematter.heseatedhimselfbyhersideonalargegreenleaf,gavehersomehoneyfromtheflowerstoeat,andtoldhershewasverypretty,thoughnotintheleastlikeacockchafer.afteratime,allthecockchafersturneduptheirfeelers,andsaid,"shehasonlytwolegs!howuglythatlooks.""shehasnofeelers,"saidanother."herwaistisquiteslim.pooh!sheislikeahumanbeing."

"oh!sheisugly,"saidalltheladycockchafers,althoughtinywasverypretty.thenthecockchaferwhohadrunawaywithher,believedalltheotherswhentheysaidshewasugly,andwouldhavenothingmoretosaytoher,andtoldhershemightgowheresheheflewdownwithherfromthetree,andplacedheronadaisy,andsheweptatthethoughtthatshewassouglythateventhecockchaferswouldhavenothingtosaytoher.andallthewhileshewasreallytheloveliestcreaturethatonecouldimagine,andastenderanddelicateasabeautifulrose-leaf.duringthewholesummerpoorlittletinylivedquitealoneinthewideforest.shewoveherselfabedwithbladesofgrass,andhungitupunderabroadleaf,toprotectherselffromtherain.shesuckedthehoneyfromtheflowersforfood,anddrankthedewfromtheirleaveseverymorning.sopassedawaythesummerandtheautumn,andthencamethewinter,-thelong,coldwinter.allthebirdswhohadsungtohersosweetlywereflownaway,andthetreesandtheflowershadwithered.thelargecloverleafundertheshelterofwhichshehadlived,wasnowrolledtogetherandshrivelledup,nothingremainedbutayellowwitheredstalk.shefeltdreadfullycold,forherclothesweretorn,andshewasherselfsofrailanddelicate,thatpoorlittletinywasnearlyfrozentodeath.itbegantosnowtoo;andthesnow-flakes,astheyfelluponher,werelikeawholeshovelfulfallingupononeofus,forwearetall,butshewasonlyaninchhigh.thenshewrappedherselfupinadryleaf,butitcrackedinthemiddleandcouldnotkeepherwarm,andsheshiveredwithcold.nearthewoodinwhichshehadbeenlivinglayacorn-field,butthecornhadbeencutalongtime;nothingremainedbutthebaredrystubblestandingupoutofthefrozenground.itwastoherlikestrugglingthroughalargewood.oh!