The little south-wind had been shut up for many days, while his cousin
from the northeast had been abroad, and the clouds had been heavy and
dark; but now all was bright and clear, and the little south-wind was
to have a holiday. O, how happy he would be! He sallied forth to amuse
himself;--and hear what he did. He came whistling down the chimney,
until the nervous old lady was ready to fly with vexation: then away
he flew, laughing in triumph,--the naughty south-wind! He played with
the maiden's work: away the pieces flew, some here, some there, and
away ran the maiden after. What cared _she_ for the wind? She tossed
back her curls and laughed merrily, and the wind laughed merrily
too,--the silly south-wind! Onward he stole, and lifting the
curtain,--curious south-wind!--what did he see? On the sofa lay a
young man: a heavy book was in his hand. The little south-wind rustled
through the leaves, but the young man stirred not; he was asleep; hot
and weary, he slept. The wind fanned his brow awhile, lifted his dark
locks, and, leaving a kiss behind, stole out at the casement,--the
gentle south-wind! Then he met a little child: away he whirled the
little boy's hat, away ran the child, but his little feet were tired,
and he wept,--poor child! The wind looked back, and felt sad, then
hung the hat on a bush, and went on. He had played too hard,--the
thoughtless south-wind! A sick child lay tossing to and fro: its hands
and face were hot and dry. The mother raised the window. The wind
heard her as he was creeping by, and stepping in, he cooled the
burning face: then, playing among the flowers until their fragrance
filled the room, away he flew,--the kind south-wind! He went out into
the highway, and played with the dust; but that was not so pleasant,
and onward he sped to the meadow. The dust could not follow on the
green grass, and the little south-wind soon outstripped it, and onward
and onward he sped, over mountain and valley, dancing among the
flowers, and frolicking round, until the trees lifted up their arms
and bent their heads and shook their sides with glee,--the happy
south-wind! At last he came to a quiet dell, where a little brook lay,
just stirring among his white pebbles. The wind said, "Kind brook,
will you play with me?" And the brook answered with a sparkling smile,
and a gentle murmur. Then the wind rose up, and, sporting among the
dark pines, whistled and sung through the lofty branches, while the
pretty brook danced along, and warbled songs to the music of its merry
companion,--the merry south-wind! But the sun had gone down and the
stars were peeping forth, and the day was done. The happy south-wind
was still, and the moon looked down on the world below, and watched
among the trees and hills, but all was still: the little south-wind
slumbered, and the moon and the stars kept guard,--poor, tired
south-wind! Old lady and maiden, young man and child, the dust and the
flowers, were forgotten, and he slept,--dear little south-wind!