At the Back of the North Wind

In fact, his room was just a loft where they kept hay and straw and oats for the horses

ttle Diamond lay there in bed, he could hear the horses under him munching away in the dark or moving sleepily in their dreams. His father put old Diamond,

down and he should fall down into the manger, whether old Diamond might not eat him up before he knew him in his night gown. And though old Diamond was quiet all night long, yet wh

roof. Sometimes there was none at all. That was when they had used it all and had not yet bought more. Soon they bough

ide in the wind and how warm it would be inside his bed; and how he would go to his bed when he pleased; only he wouldn’t just yet; he would get a little colder first. As he grew colder lying in

ut the back of his bed was of boards only an inch thick, and on the other side of them was the north

again, got a little wisp of hay, twisted it up and folded it in the middle. In this way, he made it into a cork and stuck it into the knot-hole to

o sleep once more, when pop! with an angry whistle behind it, the cork struck him again, this time on the cheek. Up he rose once more, got some more hay to make a new cork, and stuck it int

did not think of it at all. But before he dropped asleep, he heard a queer sound and lifted his head to listen. Was somebody talking to him? The wind was rising again and beginning to blow and whistle. Was it the w

little boy, by cl

dow?” ask

e times last night! I had to

le hole? It isn’t a windo

window. I said

!” said Diamond. “Windows

ust what I made

answered Diamond. “Yo

see out of, you say. Well, I am in my

made a windo

ndows into my dancing hall, and

can hardly expect me to keep a win

voice. “You just

obliging. Still it is rather hard. You see, the

rth Wind!” s

ill you promise not to blow in

se that,” said

e the tooth-ache. Mo

e of me without a win

l I say is that it will be

worse for it — I promise you that. You will be much the be

r and tore it off. In came a long whistling stream of cold that struck his little naked chest. He scrambled and tumbled in under the bed-c

ught Diamond, “to live in what they call ‘Out-of-Doo

nder the bed-clothes. It was still more gentle now, though it was six times as

name, little b

red Diamond unde

a funn

nice name,” re

ure of that,”

Diamond. “I think it

less thing, rathe

and so quiet all night! But doesn’t he make a jolly row in the

know what a diamond

amond and I am young Diamond. Or, if you like it better, Mr. North Wind, if you are so particular

sounded somewhere near him. But the

North Wind,” s

were the North Wi

Mr. North Wind,

or my mother tells me

think it at all polite for you to

Well, I am

ite to lie there with your head under the bed-clothes and never look to se

o to sleep!”

t of the bed-clothes?” said

d Diamond

pale face of a woman. Her dark eyes had begun to flash a little but the rest of her face was very sweet and beautiful. What was very strange, though, was that away from h

amond?” asked the North Wind bendin

with you, dear North Wind. I am not a bit afraid. I will go! But,” he added,

You will not be cold. Nobody

erybody was,”

d when they are with the North Wind — only w

u are so beautiful I am q

ke bat’s wings, as big as the whole sky, don’t be afraid. If you hear me raging, you must believe that I am just doing my work. Nay,

n started. When he finally got down the stairs and out into the yard, no one did

fe, the wind came against his little chest and bare legs. And stronger and stronger the wind seemed to blow. It was so cold! All at once, he remembered that she had said

ved who was his father’s master and who owned big Diamond. So little Diamond did not feel entirely strange, and then, too, there was a light in one window that looked friendly. As long as he could see that, Diamond could not feel quite alone o

warm fire in it. Beside this, he found Miss Coleman, the young lady daughter of the house, who was having her long dark hair brushed out before going to bed. Some

se his mother, to come and get him. She was much surprised to see him, you may be sure. Sh