ughtful. Her large blue eyes, as clear as water, were very
solemn, but childhood's smile still played upon her lips; I could not
blow it away, nor did I wish to do so. I used to meet her in the garden,
the ravine, and in the manor fields. She was always picking flowers and
herbs, those she knew her father could use for healing drinks and
potions. Waldemar Daa was proud and conceited, but he was also learned,
and he knew a great deal about many things. One could see that, and many
whispers went about as to his learning. The fire blazed in his stove
even in summer, and his chamber door was locked. This went on for days
and nights, but he did not talk much about it. One must deal silently
with the forces of nature. He would soon discover the best of
everything, the red, red gold!

'This was why his chimney flamed and smoked and sparkled. Yes, I was
there, too,' said the wind.

[Illustration: _I used to meet her in the garden, the ravine, and in
the manor fields. She was always picking flowers and herbs, those she
knew her father could use for healing drinks and potions._]

'Away with you, away! I sang in the back of the chimney. Smoke smoke,
embers and ashes, that is all it will come to! You will burn yourself up
in it. Whew! whew! away with it! But Waldemar Daa could not let it go.

'The fiery steeds in the stable, where were they? The old gold and
silver plate in cupboard and chest, where was that? The cattle, the
land, the castle itself? Yes, they could all be melted down in the
crucible, but yet no gold would come.

'Barn and larder got emptier and emptier. Fewer servants; more mice. One
pane of glass got broken and another followed it. There was no need for
me to go in by the doors,' said the wind. 'A smoking chimney means a
cooking meal, but the only chimney which smoked here swallowed up all
the meals, all for the sake of the red gold.

'I blew through the castle gate like a watchman blowing his horn, but
there was no watchman,' said the wind. 'I twisted round the weather-cock
on the tower and it creaked as if the watchman up there was snoring,
only there was no watchman. Rats and mice were the only inhabitants.
Poverty laid the table; poverty lurked in wardrobe and larder. The doors
fell off their hinges, cracks and crannies appeared everywhere; I went
in and out,' said the wind, 'so I know all about it.

'The hair and the beard of Waldemar Daa grew grey, in the sorrow of his
sleepless nights, amid smoke and