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played　round　her　mouth。　I　was　not　able　to　blow　it　away；　neither　did
I　wish　to　do　so。　We　have　met　in　the　garden；　in　the　hollow　lane；　in　the
field　and　meadow；　where　she　gathered　herbs　and　flowers　which　she
knew　would　be　useful　to　her　father　in　preparing　the　drugs　and　mixtures　he　was　always　concocting。　Waldemar　Daa　was　arrogant　and　proud；　but　he　was　also　a　learned　man；　and　knew　a　great　deal。　It　was　no　secret；　and　many　opinions　were　expressed　on　what　he　did。　In　his　fireplace　there　was　a　fire；　even　in　summer　time。　He　would　lock　himself　in　his　room；　and　for　days　the　fire　would　be　kept　burning；　but　he　did　not　talk　much　of　what　he　was　doing。　The　secret　powers　of　nature　are　generally　discovered　in　solitude；　and　did　he　not　soon　expect　to　find　out　the　art　of　making　the　greatest　of　all　good　things…　the　art　of　making　gold？

So　he　fondly　hoped；　therefore　the　chimney　smoked　and　the　fire　crackled　so　constantly。　Yes；　I　was　there　too；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃'Leave　it　alone；'　I　sang　down　the　chimney；　'leave　it　alone；　it　will　all　end　in
smoke；　air；　coals；　and　ashes；　and　you　will　burn　your　fingers。'　But
Waldemar　Daa　did　not　leave　it　alone；　and　all　he　possessed　vanished
like　smoke　blown　by　me。　The　splendid　black　horses；　where　are　they？
What　became　of　the　cows　in　the　field；　the　old　gold　and　silver
vessels　in　cupboards　and　chests；　and　even　the　house　and　home　itself？
It　was　easy　to　melt　all　these　away　in　the　gold…making　crucible；　and
yet　obtain　no　gold。　And　so　it　was。　Empty　are　the　barns　and
store…rooms；　the　cellars　and　cupboards；　the　servants　decreased　in
number；　and　the　mice　multiplied。　First　one　window　became　broken；　and　then　another；　so　that　I　could　get　in　at　other　places　besides　the　door。

'Where　the　chimney　smokes；　the　meal　is　being　cooked；'　says　the
proverb；　but　here　a　chimney　smoked　that　devoured　all　the　meals　for　the　sake　of　gold。　I　blew　round　the　courtyard；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃like　a
watchman　blowing　his　home；　but　no　watchman　was　there。　I　twirled　the　weather…cock　round　on　the　summit　of　the　tower；　and　it　creaked　like　the　snoring　of　a　warder；　but　no　warder　was　there；　nothing　but　mice　and　rats。　Poverty　laid　the　table…cloth；　poverty　sat　in　the　wardrobe　and　in　the　larder。　The　door　fell　off　its　hinges；　cracks　and　fissures　made　their　appearance　everywhere；　so　that　I　could　go　in　and　out　at　pleasure；　and　that　is　how　I　know　all　about　it。　Amid　smoke　and　ashes；　sorrow；　and　sleepless　nights；　the　hair　and　beard　of　the　master　of　the　house　turned　gray；　and　deep　furrows　showed　themselves　around　his　temples；　his　skin　turned　pale　and　yellow；　while　his　eyes　still
looked　eagerly　for　gold；　the　longed…for　gold；　and　the　result　of　his
labor　was　debt　instead　of　gain。　I　blew　the　smoke　and　ashes　into　his
face　and　beard；　I　moaned　through　the　broken　window…panes；　and　the
yawning　clefts　in　the　walls；　I　blew　into　the　chests　and　drawers
belonging　to　his　daughters；　wherein　lay　the　clothes　that　had　become
faded　and　threadbare；　from　being　worn　over　and　over　again。　Such　a　song　had　not　been　sung；　at　the　children's　cradle　as　I　sung　now。　The
lordly　life　had　changed　to　a　life　of　penury。　I　was　the　only　one　who
rejoiced　aloud　in　that　castle；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃At　last　I　snowed
them　up；　and　they　say　snow　keeps　people　warm。　It　was　good　for　them；　for　they　had　no　wood；　and　the　forest；　from　which　they　might　have　obtained　it；　had　been　cut　down。　The　frost　was　very　bitter；　and　I
rushed　through　loop…holes　and　passages；　over　gables　and　roofs　with
keen　and　cutting　swiftness。　The　three　high…born　daughters　were　lying
in　bed　because　of　the　cold；　and　their　father　crouching　beneath　his
leather　coverlet。　Nothing　to　eat；　nothing　to　burn；　no　fire　on　the
hearth！　Here　was　a　life　for　high…born　people！　'Give　it　up；　give　it
up！'　But　my　Lord　Daa　would　not　do　that。　'After　winter；　spring　will
come；'　he　said；　'after　want；　good　times。　We　must　not　lose　patience；　we　must　learn　to　wait。　Now　my　horses　and　lands　are　all　mortgaged；　it　is　indeed　high　time；　but　gold　will　come　at　last…　at　Easter。'

〃I　heard　him　as　he　thus　spoke；　he　was　looking　at　a　spider's　web；
and　he　continued；　'Thou　cunning　little　weaver；　thou　dost　teach　me
perseverance。　Let　any　one　tear　thy　web；　and　thou　wilt　begin　again
and　repair　it。　Let　it　be　entirely　destroyed；　thou　wilt　resolutely
begin　to　make　another　till　it　is　completed。　So　ought　we　to　do；　if　we
wish　to　succeed　at　last。'

〃It　was　the　morning　of　Easter…day。　The　bells　sounded　from　the
neighboring　church；　and　the　sun　seemed　to　rejoice　in　the　sky。　The
master　of　the　castle　had　watched　through　the　night；　in　feverish
excitement；　and　had　been　melting　and　cooling；　distilling　and　mixing。　I
heard　him　sighing　like　a　soul　in　despair；　I　heard　him　praying；　and　I
noticed　how　he　held　his　breath。　The　lamp　burnt　out；　but　he　did　not
observe　it。　I　blew　up　the　fire　in　the　coals　on　the　hearth；　and　it
threw　a　red　glow　on　his　ghastly　white　face；　lighting　it　up　with　a
glare；　while　his　sunken　eyes　looked　out　wildly　from　their　cavernous
depths；　and　appeared　to　grow　larger　and　more　prominent；　as　if　they
would　burst　from　their　sockets。　'Look　at　the　alchymic　glass；'　he
cried；　'something　glows　in　the　crucible；　pure　and　heavy。'　He　lifted　it
with　a　trembling　hand；　and　exclaimed　in　a　voice　of　agitation；　'Gold！
gold！'　He　was　quite　giddy；　I　could　have　blown　him　down；〃　said　the
Wind；　〃but　I　only　fanned　the　glowing　coals；　and　accompanied　him
through　the　door　to　the　room　where　his　daughter　sat　shivering。　His
coat　was　powdered　with　ashes；　and　there　were　ashes　in　his　beard　and　in　his　tangled　hair。　He　stood　erect；　and　held　high　in　the　air　the　brittle
glass　that　contained　his　costly　treasure。　'Found！　found！　Gold！
gold！'　he　shouted；　again　holding　the　glass　aloft；　that　it　might
flash　in　the　sunshine；　but　his　hand　trembled；　and　the　alchymic　glass
fell　from　it；　clattering　to　the　ground；　and　brake　in　a　thousand
pieces。　The　last　bubble　of　his　happiness　had　burst；　with　a　whiz　and
a　whir；　and　I　rushed　away　from　the　gold…maker's　house。

〃Late　in　the　autumn；　when　the　days　were　short；　and　the　mist
sprinkled　cold　drops　on　the　berries　and　the　leafless　branches；　I
came　back　in　fresh　spirits；　rushed　through　the　air；　swept　the　sky
clear；　and　snapped　off　the　dry　twigs；　which　is　certainly　no　great
labor　to　do；　yet　it　must　be　done。　There　was　another　kind　of　sweeping
taking　place　at　Waldemar　Daa's；　in　the　castle　of　Borreby。　His　enemy；
Owe　Ramel；　of　Basnas；　was　there；　with　the　mortgage　of　the　house　and　everything　it　contained；　in　his　pocket。　I　rattled　the　broken
windows；　beat　against　the　old　rotten　doors；　and　whistled　through
cracks　and　crevices；　so　that　Mr。　Owe　Ramel　did　not　much　like　to　remain　there。　Ida　and　Anna　Dorothea　wept　bitterly；　Joanna　stood；　pale　and　proud；　biting　her　lips　till　the　blood　came；　but　what　could　that　avail？　Owe　Ramel　offered　Waldemar　Daa　permission　to　remain　in　the　house　till　the　end　of　his　life。　No　one　thanked　him　for　the　offer；　and　I
saw　the　ruined　old　gentleman　lift　his　head；　and　throw　it　back　more
proudly　than　ever。　Then　I　rushed　against　the　house　and　the　old
lime…trees　with　such　force；　that　one　of　the　thickest　branches；　a
decayed　one；　was　broken　off；　and　the　branch　fell　at　the　entrance；
and　remained　there。　It　might　have　been　used　as　a　broom；　if　any　one　had　wanted　to　sweep　the　place　out；　and　a　grand　sweeping…out　there　really　was；　I　thought　it　would　be　so。　It　was　hard　for　any　one　to　preserve　composure　on　such　a　day；　but　these　people　had　strong　wills；　as　unbending　as　their　hard　fortune。　There　was　nothing　they　could　call
their　own；　excepting　the　clothes　they　wore。　Yes；　there　was　one　thing
more；　an　alchymist's　glass；　a　new　one；　which　had　been　lately　bought；
and　filled　with　what　could　be　gathered　from　the　ground　of　the　treasure
which　had　promised　so　much　but　failed　in　keeping　its　promise。　
Waldemar　Daa　hid　the　glass　in　his　bosom；　and；　taking　his　stick　in　his　hand；　the　once　rich　gentleman　passed　with　his　daughters　out　of　the　house　of　Borreby。　I　blew　coldly　upon　his　flustered　cheeks；　I　stroked　his　gray　beard　and　his　long　white　hair；　and　I　sang　as　well　as　I　was　able；　'Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r。　Gone　away！　Gone　away！'　Ida　walked　on　one　side　of　the　old　man；　and　Anna　Dorothea　on　the　other；　Joanna　turned　round；　as　they　left　the　entrance。　Why？　Fortune　would　not　turn　because　she　turned。　She　looked　at　the　stone　in　the　walls　which　had　once　formed　part　of　the　castle　of　Marck　Stig；　and　perhaps　she　thought　of　his　daughters　and　of　the　old　song；…
〃The　eldest　and　youngest；　hand…in…hand；
Went　forth　alone　to　a　distant　land。〃
These　were　only　two；　here　there　were　three；　and　their　father　with　them
also。　They　walked　along　the　high…road；　where　once　they　had　driven　in
their　splendid　carriage；　they　went　forth　with　their　father　as　beggars。
They　wandered　across　an　open　field　to　a　mud　hut；　which　they　rented　for　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　year；　a　new　home；　with　bare　walls　and　empty
cupboards。　Crows　and　magpies　fluttered　about　them；　and　cried；　as　if　in　contempt；　'Caw；　caw；　turned　out　of　our　nest…　caw；　caw；'　as　they　had　done　in　the　wood　at　Borreby；　when　the　trees　were　felled。　Daa　and　his　daughters　could　not　help　hearing　it；　so　I　blew　about　their　ears　to
drown　the　noise；　what　use　was　it　that　they　should　listen？　So　they　went
to　live　in　the　mud　hut　in　the　open　field；　and　I　wandered　away；　over
moor　and　meadow；　through　bare　bushes　and　leafless　forests；　to　the　open　sea；　to　the　broad　shores　in　other　lands；　'Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r！　Away；　away！'　year　after　year。〃

And　what　became　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters？　Listen；　the
Wind　will　tell　us：

〃The　last　I　saw　of　them　was　the　pale　hyacinth；　Anna　Dorothea。　She
was　old　and　bent　then；　for　fifty　years　had　passed　and　she　had　outlived　them　all。　She　could　relate　the　history。　Yonder；　on　the　heath；　near　the　town　of　Wiborg；　in　Jutland；　stood　the　fine　new　house　of　the　canon。　It　was　built　of　red　brick；　with　projecting　gables。　It　was　inhabited；　for　the　smoke　curled　up　thickly　from　the　chimneys。　The　canon's　gentle　lady　and　her　beautiful　daughters　sat　in　the　bay…window；　and　looked　over　the　hawthorn　hedge　of　the　garden　towards　the　brown　heath。　What　were　they　looking　at？　Their　glances　fell　upon　a　stork's　nest；　which　was　built　upon　an　old　tumbledown　hut。　The　roof；　as　far　as　one　existed　at　all；　was　covered　with　moss　and　lichen。　The　stork's　nest　covered　the　greater　part　of　it；　and　that