but I howled louder thanthey. They were obliged to unload their cargo, and throw theirchests and the dead walruses on the ice. Then I sprinkled snow overthem, and left them in their crushed boats to drift southward, andto taste salt water. They will never return to Bear's Island."
  "So you have done mischief," said the mother of the Winds.
  "I shall leave others to tell the good I have done," he replied."But here comes my brother from the West; I like him best of all,for he has the smell of the sea about him, and brings in a cold, freshair as he enters."
  "Is that the little Zephyr?" asked the prince.
  "Yes, it is the little Zephyr," said the old woman; "but he is notlittle now. In years gone by he was a beautiful boy; now that is allpast."
  He came in, looking like a wild man, and he wore a slouched hat toprotect his head from injury. In his hand he carried a club, cutfrom a mahogany tree in the American forests, not a trifle to carry.
  "Whence do you come?" asked the mother.
  "I come from the wilds of the forests, where the thorny bramblesform thick hedges between the trees; where the water-snake lies in thewet grass, and mankind seem to be unknown."
  "What were you doing there?"
  "I looked into the deep river, and saw it rushing down from therocks. The water drops mounted to the clouds and glittered in therainbow. I saw the wild buffalo swimming in the river, but thestrong tide carried him away amidst a flock of wild ducks, whichflew into the air as the waters dashed onwards, leaving the buffalo tobe hurled over the waterfall. This pleased me; so I raised a storm,which rooted up old trees, and sent them floating down the river."
  "And what else have you done?" asked the old woman.
  "I have rushed wildly across the savannahs; I have stroked thewild horses, and shaken the cocoa-nuts from the trees. Yes, I havemany stories to relate; but I need not tell everything I know. Youknow it all very well, don't you, old lady?" And he kissed hismother so roughly, that she nearly fell backwards. Oh, he was, indeed,a wild fellow.
  Now in came the South Wind, with a turban and a flowing Bedouincloak.
  "How cold it is here!" said he, throwing more wood on the fire."It is easy to feel that the North Wind has arrived here before me."
  "Why it is hot enough here to roast a bear," said the North Wind.
  "You are a bear yourself," said the other.
  "Do you want to be put in the sack, both of you?" said the oldwoman. "Sit down, now, on that stone, yonder, and tell me where youhave been."
  "In Africa, mother. I went out with the Hottentots, who werelion-hunting in the Kaffir land, where the plains are covered withgrass the color of a green olive; and here I ran races with theostrich, but I soon outstripped him in swiftness. At last I came tothe desert, in which lie the golden sands, looking like the bottomof the sea. Here I met a caravan, and the travellers had just killedtheir last camel, to obtain water; there was very little for them, andthey continued their painful journey beneath the burning sun, and overthe hot sands, which stretched before them a vast, boundless desert.Then I rolled myself in the loose sand, and whirled it in burningcolumns over their heads. The dromedarys stood still in terror,while the merchants drew their caftans over their heads, and threwthemselves on the ground before me, as they do before Allah, theirgod. Then I buried them beneath a pyramid of sand, which covers themall. When I blow that away on my next visit, the sun will bleach theirbones, and travellers will see that others have been there beforethem; otherwise, in such a wild desert, they might not believe itpossible."
  "So you have done nothing but evil," said the mother. "Into thesack with you;" and, before he was aware, she had seized the SouthWind round the body, and popped him into the bag. He rolled about onthe floor, till she sat herself upon him to keep him still.
  "These boys of yours are very lively," said the prince.
  "Yes," she replied, "but I know how to correct them, whennecessary; and here comes the fourth." In came the East Wind,dressed like a Chinese.
  "Oh, you come from that quarter, do you?"