At the Back of the North Wind | Page 6

the house.
"I hope you haven't eaten a baby, North Wind!" he said very solemnly.
North Wind laughed merrily and went tripping on faster. Her grassy
robe swept and swirled about her steps. Wherever it passed over
withered leaves, they went fleeing and whirling away and running on
their edges all about her feet. "No, I did not eat a baby," she said, "as
you would know if you had not let go of me. I merely scared an ugly
nurse who was calling a child bad names. I flew at her throat and she
tumbled over with a crash. I had to put on a bad shape before she could
see me. I put on a wolf's shape for that is what she is growing to be
inside."
They were now climbing the slope of a grassy ascent. At the top, North
Wind stood and turned her face toward London. The stars were still
shining clear and cold overhead. There was not a cloud to be seen.
"Now," said North Wind, "do not let go of me again. I might have lost
you the last time, only I was not in a hurry then. Now I am in a hurry."
As she spoke, she was growing larger and larger. Her head went up and
up toward the stars. As she grew, her hair, longer and longer, lifted
itself from her head and went out in black waves. She put her hands
behind her head and began weaving and knotting her hair together.

Then she took up Diamond in her hands and threw him over her
shoulder saying, "I have made a place for you in my hair. Get in,
Diamond."
Diamond soon found the woven nest and crept into it. The next
moment he was rising in the air. North Wind grew towering up to the
place of the clouds. Her hair went streaming out from her till it spread
like a mist over the stars. She flung herself abroad in space. Diamond
made a little place through the woven meshes of her hair and peeped
through that, for he did not dare look over the top of his nest.
The earth was rushing past like a river or a sea below him. Trees and
water and green grass hurried away beneath. Now there was nothing
but the roofs of houses sweeping along like a great torrent of stones and
rocks. Chimneys fell and tiles flew from the roofs. There was a great
roaring for the wind was dashing against London like a stormy sea.
Diamond, of course, at the back of North Wind, was in a calm but he
could hear it. Around and around and around, swept North Wind, her
dark hair rolling and flowing, sweeping the people all into their homes
and the bad smells out of the streets.
Suddenly, Diamond saw a little girl coming along a street. She was
dreadfully blown by the wind, and a broom she was trailing behind her
was very troublesome. It seemed as if the wind had a spite at her! It
kept worrying her and tearing at her rags. She was so lonely there!
"Oh, please, North Wind," cried Diamond, "won't you help that little
girl?"
"I cannot leave my work, Diamond. But you can help her if you like.
Only, I can't wait for you. And mind, the wind will get hold of you
too!"
"But how shall I get home again," cried Diamond, "if you don't wait for
me?"
"Well, you must think of that!" said North Wind.

"Oh," cried Diamond. "I am sure the wind will blow her over! I must
help her anyway! Let me go!"
Without a word, North Wind dropped into the street and set him down.
The same moment, he was caught in the coils of the blast and all but
swept away. North Wind vanished. The wind was roaring along the
street. The little girl was scudding before it, her hair flying, while
behind her she dragged her broom with which she swept her crossing.
Her little legs were going as fast as they could, to keep her from falling.
"Stop! stop! little girl!" shouted Diamond, starting in pursuit.
"I can't!" wailed the girl. "The wind won't let me!"
Diamond ran after her and caught hold of her frock but it tore in his
hand. Then he ran fast enough to get in front of her and turning around,
caught her in his arms. Just then, he thought he got a glimpse of North
Wind turning the corner in front of them. They must go with her of
course, and sure enough, when they turned the corner after her, they
found it quite quiet there.
"Now, you must lead me," said Diamond. "You show me the way you
must go to get