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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　STORY　OF　THE　WIND
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
〃NEAR　the　shores　of　the　great　Belt；　which　is　one　of　the　straits
that　connect　the　Cattegat　with　the　Baltic；　stands　an　old　mansion
with　thick　red　walls。　I　know　every　stone　of　it；〃　says　the　Wind。　〃I　saw
it　when　it　was　part　of　the　castle　of　Marck　Stig　on　the　promontory。　But
the　castle　was　obliged　to　be　pulled　down；　and　the　stone　was　used　again　for　the　walls　of　a　new　mansion　on　another　spot…　the　baronial　residence　of　Borreby；　which　still　stands　near　the　coast。　I　knew　them　well；　those　noble　lords　and　ladies；　the　successive　generations　that　dwelt　there；　and　now　I'm　going　to　tell　you　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters。　How　proud　was　his　bearing；　for　he　was　of　royal　blood；　and　could　boast　of　more　noble　deeds　than　merely　hunting　the　stag　and　emptying　the　wine…cup。　His　rule　was　despotic：　'It　shall　be；'　he　was　accustomed　to　say。　His　wife；　in　garments　embroidered　with　gold；　stepped　proudly　over　the　polished　marble　floors。　The　tapestries　were　gorgeous；　and　the　furniture　of　costly　and　artistic　taste。　She　had　brought　gold　and　plate　with　her　into　the　house。　The　cellars　were　full　of　wine。　Black；　fiery　horses；　neighed　in　the　stables。　There　was　a　look　of　wealth　about　the　house　of　Borreby　at　that　time。　They　had　three　children；　daughters；　fair　and　delicate　maidens…　Ida；　Joanna；　and　Anna　Dorothea；　I　have　never　forgotten　their　names。　They　were　a　rich；　noble　family；　born　in　affluence　and　nurtured　in　luxury。

〃Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r！〃　roared　the　Wind；　and　went　on；　〃I　did　not　see
in　this　house；　as　in　other　great　houses；　the　high…born　lady　sitting
among　her　women；　turning　the　spinning…wheel。　She　could　sweep　the
sounding　chords　of　the　guitar；　and　sing　to　the　music；　not　always
Danish　melodies；　but　the　songs　of　a　strange　land。　It　was　'Live　and　let
live；'　here。　Stranger　guests　came　from　far　and　near；　music　sounded；
goblets　clashed；　and　I；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃was　not　able　to　drown　the
noise。　Ostentation；　pride；　splendor；　and　display　ruled；　but　not　the
fear　of　the　Lord。

〃It　was　on　the　evening　of　the　first　day　of　May；〃　the　Wind
continued；　〃I　came　from　the　west；　and　had　seen　the　ships　overpowered　with　the　waves；　when　all　on　board　persisted　or　were　cast　shipwrecked　on　the　coast　of　Jutland。　I　had　hurried　across　the　heath　and　over　Jutland's　wood…girt　eastern　coast；　and　over　the　island　of　Funen；　and　then　I　drove　across　the　great　belt；　sighing　and　moaning。　
At　length　I　lay　down　to　rest　on　the　shores　of　Zeeland；　near　to　the　great　house　of　Borreby；　where　the　splendid　forest　of　oaks　still　flourished。　The　young　men　of　the　neighborhood　were　collecting　branches　and　brushwood　under　the　oak…trees。　The　largest　and　dryest　they　could　find　they　carried　into　the　village；　and　piled　them　up　in　a　heap　and　set　them　on　fire。　Then　the　men　and　maidens　danced；　and　sung　in　a　circle　round　the　blazing　pile。　I　lay　quite　quiet；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃but　I　silently　touched　a　branch　which　had　been　brought　by　one　of　the　handsomest　of　the　young　men；　and　the　wood　blazed　up　brightly；　blazed　brighter　than　all　the　rest。　Then　he　was　chosen　as　the　chief；　and　received　the　name　of　the　Shepherd；　and　might　choose　his　lamb　from　among　the　maidens。

There　was　greater　mirth　and　rejoicing　than　I　had　ever　heard　in　the
halls　of　the　rich　baronial　house。　Then　the　noble　lady　drove　by　towards　the　baron's　mansion　with　her　three　daughters；　in　a　gilded　carriage　drawn　by　six　horses。　The　daughters　were　young　and　beautiful…　three　charming　blossoms…　a　rose；　a　lily；　and　a　white　hyacinth。　The　mother　was　a　proud　tulip；　and　never　acknowledged　the　salutations　of　any　of　the　men　or　maidens　who　paused　in　their　sport　to　do　her　honor。　The　gracious　lady　seemed　like　a　flower　that　was　rather　stiff　in　the　stalk。

Rose；　lily；　and　hyacinth…　yes；　I　saw　them　all　three。　Whose　little
lambs　will　they　one　day　become？　thought　I；　their　shepherd　will　be　a
gallant　knight；　perhaps　a　prince。　The　carriage　rolled　on；　and　the
peasants　resumed　their　dancing。　They　drove　about　the　summer　through　all　the　villages　near。　But　one　night；　when　I　rose　again；　the　high…born　lady　lay　down　to　rise　again　no　more；　that　thing　came　to　her　which　comes　to　us　all；　in　which　there　is　nothing　new。　Waldemar　Daa
remained　for　a　time　silent　and　thoughtful。　'The　loftiest　tree　may　be
bowed　without　being　broken；'　said　a　voice　within　him。　His　daughters
wept；　all　the　people　in　the　mansion　wiped　their　eyes；　but　Lady　Daa　had　driven　away；　and　I　drove　away　too；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃Whir…r…r；
whir…r…r…！

〃I　returned　again；　I　often　returned　and　passed　over　the　island
of　Funen　and　the　shores　of　the　Belt。　Then　I　rested　by　Borreby；　near
the　glorious　wood；　where　the　heron　made　his　nest；　the　haunt　of　the
wood…pigeons；　the　blue…birds；　and　the　black　stork。　It　was　yet
spring；　some　were　sitting　on　their　eggs；　others　had　already　hatched
their　young　broods；　but　how　they　fluttered　about　and　cried　out　when
the　axe　sounded　through　the　forest；　blow　upon　blow！　The　trees　of　the
forest　were　doomed。　Waldemar　Daa　wanted　to　build　a　noble　ship；　a
man…of…war；　a　three…decker；　which　the　king　would　be　sure　to　buy；　and
these；　the　trees　of　the　wood；　the　landmark　of　the　seamen；　the　refuge
of　the　birds；　must　be　felled。　The　hawk　started　up　and　flew　away；　for
its　nest　was　destroyed；　the　heron　and　all　the　birds　of　the　forest
became　homeless；　and　flew　about　in　fear　and　anger。　I　could　well
understand　how　they　felt。　Crows　and　ravens　croaked；　as　if　in　scorn；
while　the　trees　were　cracking　and　falling　around　them。　Far　in　the
interior　of　the　wood；　where　a　noisy　swarm　of　laborers　were　working；
stood　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　three　daughters；　and　all　were　laughing　at
the　wild　cries　of　the　birds；　excepting　one；　the　youngest；　Anna
Dorothea；　who　felt　grieved　to　the　heart；　and　when　they　made
preparations　to　fell　a　tree　that　was　almost　dead；　and　on　whose　naked
branches　the　black　stork　had　built　her　nest；　she　saw　the　poor　little
things　stretching　out　their　necks；　and　she　begged　for　mercy　for
them；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　So　the　tree　with　the　black　stork's
nest　was　left　standing；　the　tree　itself；　however；　was　not　worth　much
to　speak　of。　Then　there　was　a　great　deal　of　hewing　and　sawing；　and
at　last　the　three…decker　was　built。　The　builder　was　a　man　of　low
origin；　but　possessing　great　pride；　his　eyes　and　forehead　spoke　of
large　intellect；　and　Waldemar　Daa　was　fond　of　listening　to　him；　and　so
was　Waldemar's　daughter　Ida；　the　eldest；　now　about　fifteen　years
old；　and　while　he　was　building　the　ship　for　the　father；　he　was
building　for　himself　a　castle　in　the　air；　in　which　he　and　Ida　were
to　live　when　they　were　married。　This　might　have　happened；　indeed；　if
there　had　been　a　real　castle；　with　stone　walls；　ramparts；　and　a
moat。　But　in　spite　of　his　clever　head；　the　builder　was　still　but　a
poor；　inferior　bird；　and　how　can　a　sparrow　expect　to　be　admitted
into　the　society　of　peacocks？

〃I　passed　on　in　my　course；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃and　he　passed　away
also。　He　was　not　allowed　to　remain；　and　little　Ida　got　over　it；
because　she　was　obliged　to　do　so。　Proud；　black　horses；　worth　looking　at；　were　neighing　in　the　stable。　And　they　were　locked　up；　for　the　admiral；　who　had　been　sent　by　the　king　to　inspect　the　new　ship；　and　make　arrangements　for　its　purchase；　was　loud　in　admiration　of　these　beautiful　horses。　I　heard　it　all；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃for　I　accompanied　the　gentlemen　through　the　open　door　of　the　stable；　and　strewed　stalks　of　straw；　like　bars　of　gold；　at　their　feet。　Waldemar　Daa　wanted　gold；　and　the　admiral　wished　for　the　proud　black　horses；　therefore　he　praised　them　so　much。　But　the　hint　was　not　taken；　and
consequently　the　ship　was　not　bought。　It　remained　on　the　shore　covered　with　boards；…　a　Noah's　ark　that　never　got　to　the　water…　Whir…r…r…r…　and　that　was　a　pity。

〃In　the　winter；　when　the　fields　were　covered　with　snow；　and　the
water　filled　with　large　blocks　of　ice　which　I　had　blown　up　to　the
coast；〃　continued　the　Wind；　〃great　flocks　of　crows　and　ravens；　dark
and　black　as　they　usually　are；　came　and　alighted　on　the　lonely；
deserted　ship。　Then　they　croaked　in　harsh　accents　of　the　forest　that
now　existed　no　more；　of　the　many　pretty　birds'　nests　destroyed　and　the　little　ones　left　without　a　home；　and　all　for　the　sake　of　that　great
bit　of　lumber；　that　proud　ship；　that　never　sailed　forth。　I　made　the
snowflakes　whirl　till　the　snow　lay　like　a　great　lake　round　the　ship；
and　drifted　over　it。　I　let　it　hear　my　voice；　that　it　might　know　what
the　storm　has　to　say。　Certainly　I　did　my　part　towards　teaching　it
seamanship。

〃That　winter　passed　away；　and　another　winter　and　summer　both
passed；　as　they　are　still　passing　away；　even　as　I　pass　away。　The
snow　drifts　onwards；　the　apple…blossoms　are　scattered；　the　leaves
fall；…　everything　passes　away；　and　men　are　passing　away　too。　But　the
great　man's　daughters　are　still　young；　and　little　Ida　is　a　rose　as
fair　to　look　upon　as　on　the　day　when　the　shipbuilder　first　saw　her。
I　often　tumbled　her　long；　brown　hair；　while　she　stood　in　the　garden　by
the　apple…tree；　musing；　and　not　heeding　how　I　strewed　the　blossoms
on　her　hair；　and　dishevelled　it；　or　sometimes；　while　she　stood
gazing　at　the　red　sun　and　the　golden　sky　through　the　opening
branches　of　the　dark；　thick　foliage　of　th