At the Back of the North Wind | Page 5

green light,
above that a golden cloud, and over that the blue of the wintry heavens.
Diamond thought that next to his own home, he had never seen any
place he would like so much to live in as that sky.

As he wandered about, he came to stand by the little door which
opened upon the lawn of the house next door. That made him
remember how the wind had driven him to this same spot on the night
of his dream. So he thought he would just go in and see if things looked
at all as they did then. But not a flower was to be seen in the beds on
the lawn! Even the brave old chrysanthemums and Christmas roses had
passed away before the frost. What? Yes! There was one. He ran and
knelt down to look at it.
It was a primrose--a tiny, tiny thing, but perfect in shape--a baby
wonder. As he stooped his face to see it close, a little wind began to
blow. Two or three long leaves that stood up behind the flower shook
and wavered and quivered. But the primrose lay still in the green
hollow, looking up at the sky and not seeming to know at all that the
wind was blowing. It looked like a golden eye that the black wintry
earth had opened to look at the sky with.
That very same night, after Diamond had been asleep for a little, he
awoke all at once in the dark.
"Open the window, Diamond," said a voice.
Now Diamond's mother had once more pasted up North Wind's
window.
"Are you North Wind?" said Diamond. "I do not hear you blowing."
"No, but you hear me talking. Open the window for I haven't over
much time."
"Yes," said Diamond. "But please, North Wind, where's the use? You
left me all alone last time."
"That was your fault," returned North Wind. "I had work to do and you
kept me waiting."
Diamond was already scratching at the paper like ten mice and, getting
hold of the edge of it, tore it off. The next instant a young girl glided

across the bed and stood on the floor.
"Oh, dear!" said Diamond quite dismayed. "I didn't know--who are you,
please?"
"I am North Wind."
"But you are no bigger than I am!"
"Do you think I care how big or how little I am? And of course, I am
little this evening! Didn't you see me behind the leaves of the primrose?
Didn't you see them blowing? Make haste, now, if you want to go with
me! Dress as fast as you can and I will go and shake the leaves of the
primrose till you come!"
"Don't hurt it!" said Diamond.
North Wind broke out into a little laugh like the breaking of silver
bubbles and was gone in a moment. Diamond saw the gleam of
something vanishing down the stair. He dressed himself as fast as ever
he could and crept out into the yard, through the door in the wall, and
away to the primrose. Behind it stood North Wind leaning over it.
"Come along!" she said jumping up and holding out her hand. She led
him across the garden and with one bound was on top of the wall. Then
she reached down her hand to Diamond. He gave a great spring and
stood beside her.
Another bound, and they stood in the road by the river. It was full tide
and the stars were shining clear in its depths. But they had not walked
beside it far before its surface was covered with ripples and the stars
had vanished. North Wind was now as tall as a full-grown girl. Her hair
was flying about her head and the wind was blowing a breeze down the
river. But she turned aside and went up a narrow lane.
"I have some rather disagreeable work to do to-night," she said. "And
disagreeable work must be looked after first."

So saying, she laid hold of Diamond and began to run, gliding along
faster and faster. She made many turnings and windings. Once they ran
through a hall where they found both the front and back doors open. At
the foot of the stair, North Wind stood still and Diamond, hearing a
great growl, started in terror. There, instead of North Wind, was a huge
wolf by his side! He let go his hold and the wolf bounded up the stair.
The windows of the house rattled and shook and there came the sound
of a fall.
"Surely," thought Diamond, "North Wind can't be eating one of the
children!"
He started to rush up after her, but she met him on the stair, took him
by the hand and hurried him out of