THE STORY OF THE WIND. 19

“Whither away, husband ?”—«[ am going to seek
the Wind,” said he; “what dost thou say to that?”
—“T should say, do no such thing,” replied his wife.
“Thou knowest the saying, ‘If thou dost want to
find the Wind, seek him on the open steppe. He can
go ten different ways to thy one.’ Think of that, dear
husband, and go not at all.”—“T mean to go,” replied
the man, “though I never return home again.”
Then he took leave of hig wife and children, and went
straight out into the wide world to seek the Wind on
the open steppe.

He went on farther and farther til] he saw before
him a forest, and on the borders of that forest stood
a hut on hens’ legs. The man went into this hut and
was filled with astonishment, for there lay on the
floor a huge, huge, old man, as grey as milk. He
lay there stretched at full length, his head on the
seat of honour,’ with an arm and lee in each of the
four corners, and all his hair standing on end. I¢
was no other than the Wind himself. The man
stared at this awful Ancient with terror, for never
in his life had he seen anything like it. “God help
thee, old father!” eried he.—« Good health to thee,
good man!” said the ancient giant, as he lay on the
floor of the hut. Then he asked him in the most

* Pokute, the place of honour in a Ruthenian peasant’s hut, at
the right-hand side of the entrance.