East o' the Sun
and West o' the Moon
(continued)

Then she wept and wept till she was tired, and all the while she thought of the lovely Prince and how she must find him. So at last she set out on her way, and walked many, many days, till she came to a lofty crag. Under it sat an old crone, who played with a golden apple, which she tossed about. The girl asked her if she knew the way to the Prince who lived with his stepmother in the castle that lay east o' the sun and west o' the moon, and who was to marry the princess with a nose three feet long.

"How did you come to know about him?" asked the old crone. "But maybe you are the girl who ought to have had him?"

Yes, she was.

"So, so; it's you, is it?" said the old crone. "Well, all I know about him is that he lives in the castle that lies east o' the sun and west o' the moon, and thither you'll come, late or never. Still you may have the use of my horse, and on him you can ride to my next neighbour. Maybe she'll be able to tell you. When you get there, just give the horse a switch under the left ear, and tell him to be off home. And, stay! this golden apple you may take with you."

She got upon the horse, and rode a long, long time, till she came to another crag, under which sat another old crone, with a golden carding comb. The girl asked her if she knew the way to the castle that lay east o' the sun and west o' the moon. She answered, like the first old crone, that she knew nothing about it, except it was east o' the sun and west o' the moon.

"And thither you'll come, late or never. But you shall have the use of my horse to my next neighbour. Maybe she'll tell you all about it. When you get there, just switch the horse under the left ear, and tell him to be off home."

This old crone gave her the golden carding comb. It might be she would find a use for it, she said. So the girl got up on the horse, and rode a long, long way and a weary time. At last she came to another great crag, under which sat another old crone, spinning with a golden spinning wheel. She asked her if she knew the way to the Prince, and where the castle was that lay east o' the sun and west o' the moon. And so it was the same thing over again.

"Maybe it's you who ought to have had the Prince?" said the old crone.

Yes, it was.

But she, too, didn't know the way a bit better than the other two, east o' the sun and west o' the moon it was, she knew - that was all.

"And thither you'll come, late or never. But I'll lend you my horse, and then I think you had best ride to the East Wind and ask him. Maybe he knows those parts, and can blow you thither. But when you get to him, you need only give the horse a switch under the left ear, and he'll trot home himself."

And so, too, she gave her the golden spinning wheel. "Maybe you'll find a use for it," said the old crone. Then on she rode many, many days, a weary time, before she got to the East Wind's house. At last she did reach it, and then she asked the East Wind if he could tell her the way to the Prince who dwelt east o' the sun and west o' the moon. The East Wind had often heard of the Prince and the castle, but he could not tell the way, for he had never blown so far.

"But if you will, I'll go with you to my brother the West Wind. maybe he knows, for he's much stronger. If you will just get on my back I'll carry you thither."

She got on his back, and I should just think they went briskly along.

When they got there, they went into the West Wind's house, and the East Wind said the girl he had brought was the one who ought to have had the Prince, who lived in the castle east o' the sun and west o' the moon. She had set out to seek him, and he had come with her, and would be glad to know if the West Wind knew how to get to the castle.

"Nay," said the West Wind, "I've never blown so far. But, if you are willing, I'll go with you to our brother the South Wind, for he's much stronger than either of us, and he has flapped his wings far and wide. Maybe he'll tell you. You can get on my back, and I'll carry you to him."

She got on his back, and they went to the South Wind, and were not so very long on the way, I should think.

When they got there, the West Wind asked him if he could tell her the way to the castle that lay east o' the sun and west o' the moon, for it was she who ought to have had the Prince who lived there.

"You don't say so! That's she, is it?" said the South Wind. "Well, I have travelled about in most places in my time, but I have never blown so far. If you will go, I'll take you to my brother the North Wind; he is the oldest and strongest of the whole lot of us. If he does not know where it is, you'll never find anyone in the world to tell you. You can get on my back, and I'll carry you thither."

She got on his back, and away he went from his house at a fine rate. This time too, she wasn't long on her way.

When they got to the North Wind's house, he was very wild and cross, and cold puffs came from him a long way off.

"WHO ARE YOU, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he roared out to them ever so far off, and it struck them with an icy shiver.

"Well," said the South Wind, "you needn't be so cross, for here I am, your brother the South Wind, and here is the girl who ought to have had the prince who dwells in the castle that lies east o' the sun and west o' the moon. She wants to ask you if you were ever there, and can tell her the way, for she would be glad to find him again."

"YES, I KNOW WELL ENOUGH WHERE IT IS," said the North Wind. "Once in my life I blew an aspen leaf thither, but I was so tired I couldn't blow a puff for ever so many days after. But if you really wish to go thither, and are not afraid to come along with me, I'll take you on my back and see if I can blow you there.

She replied that she must and would go if it were possible in any way; and as for fear, however madly he went, she wouldn't be at all afraid.

"Very well then," said the North Wind, "but you must sleep here tonight, for we must have the whole day before us if we are to get there at all."

Early next morning the North Wind woke her, and puffed himself up, and blew himself out, and made himself so stout and big that he was a fearsome sight. Off they went, high up through the air, as if they would never stop till they got to the world's end.

Down below there was such a storm! It threw down great woods and many houses, and when it swept over the sea ships were sunk by hundreds.

They tore on and on - no one can believe how far they went - and still they went over the seas. The North Wind became more and more weary, and so out of breath he could scarcely bring out a puff. His wings dropped and drooped, till at last he sank so low that the crests of the waves dashed over his heels.

"Are you afraid?" said the North Wind.

"Oh no!" she answered.

They were not very far from land, and the North Wind had still as much strength left in him as to throw her up on the shore under the windows of the castle, which lay east o' the sun and west o' the moon. Then he was so weak and worn out, he had to stay there and rest many days before he could go home again.

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