At the Back of the North Wind

happened in this way. His father was taking the horse, Diamond, to have new shoes put on him, and knowing that little

as looking about to see if any one noticed him riding upon the big horse like a man, saw a little girl sweeping a cro

of tumble and ran to her, holding out the penny. She did not know him at first, but when he smiled at her, she did. He stuffed the pe

e evening, he was sitting in a little summer-house at the foot of the lawn, before which was a bed of tulips. They were clos

gentle, merry, childish voice but so tiny! “I w

n he saw the tiniest creature, s

s the bees?” he asked kneeli

ittle creature. “You stupid Diamon

the tulips almost to the ground

re, “I must not stay to chatter. I h

e men and women in it? How dreadful! Still

to those who do not know. But the people they say I drown, I only ca

if you never saw the place? And

to-night. I cannot take you till you have been to bed and gone to sleep. I’ll look about and do something till

d. The next moment, the man in the boat glanced about him and bent to his oars. The boat flew

do that?” a

s face and blew th

ce put up his sail. The moon was coming to herself on the edge of a great cloud and the sail began to shine white. Diamond rubbed his eyes and wondered what it was all about. But he felt that he could not know more ti

thunder broke over his head and a great blast of wind followed which tore some tiles off the roof and, through the hole this made, sent a spout of wind down into his face. At the same moment, he

as he had seen the soap bubbles, that burst too soon, vanish from

iamond had not seen the lightning for he had been busy trying to find the face of North Wind. Every moment, the folds of her garment would sweep across his eyes an

ship? It is not like you! Here you are, taking care of a poor little boy like me, with o

” answered the strong voice of North Wi

could you know how to put on such a beautiful face if you did not love me and love all th

another thing!”

amond seemed to be borne through an ocean of dazzling flame. The winds were writhing around him like a storm of serpents. For they were in the midst of the c

t first, and then laughed, for the arm of North Wind was about him and he felt quite safe, though he knew that they were sweeping with

ver, North Wind

own. You will not like to see the ship sunk and I am goin

ace of the boy. And lo! it was a blue night lit up with stars. Where it did not shine with stars, it shimmered w

ng away down into the darkness. North Wind held his hand, and after a little, led him out upon a narrow gallery which ran all around the central part of the church. Below him, lay the inside of the church like a gr

e forehead. The next moment, she was gone, and Diamond heard a moaning about the church which g

light in the stars to show the colors in them. Diamond began to feel his way about the place, and for a little while went wandering up and down. His pattering foot-steps waked

t the lowest of a few steps that stretched across the church, and fell down and hurt his arm. He cried a little at first, and then crawled up the steps on his hands an

ft murmuring as if they were talking to themselves about him. But his eyes grew tired, and more and more tired. His eyelids grew so heavy that they would keep tumbling down over his eyes. He kept lifting them and lifting them. But e

The small panes in the roof of his loft were glimmering blue in the light of the morning. Old Diamond was coming awake down

that. But then I can wash myself and he can’t. What fun it would be to see old D

things looked since last night. There was the little summer-house with the tulip bed before it where he had been sitting the evening before, crushed to the ground!

ble work here! This is the North Wind’s doing! What

at, sir?” as

iled for he knew well enough that Diamond would not understand t

f that place,” r

this tree had been there, it would not have bee

said she would take the people whom she sunk with the ship. Next ti