one night , when she was lying in her pretty little bed , an old toad crept in through a broken pane in the window . she was very ugly , clumsy , and clammy ; she hopped on to the table where thumbelina lay asleep under the red rose - leaf . ' this would make a beautiful wife for my son,'said the toad , taking up the walnut - shell , with thumbelina inside , and hopping with it through the window into the garden . there flowed a great wide stream , with slippery and marshy banks ; here the toad lived with her son . ugh ! how ugly and clammy he was , just like his mother ! ' croak , croak , croak!'was all he could say when he saw the pretty little girl in the walnut - shell . ' do n't talk so load , or you 'll wake her,'said the old toad . ' she might escape us even now ; she is as light as a feather . we will put her at once on a broad water - lily leaf in the stream . that will be quite an island for her ; she is so small and light . she ca n't run away from us there , whilst we are preparing the guest - chamber under the marsh where she shall live . ' outside in the brook grew many water - lilies , with broad green leaves , which looked as if they were swimming about on the water . the leaf farthest away was the largest , and to this the old toad swam with thumbelina in her walnut - shell . 
the old toad wanted thumbelina to marry her son .
why didn't the old toad want thumbelina to escape ?
why didn't the old toad want thumbelina to escape ?