from At the Back of the North Wind
by George MacDonald

"What a strange person this North Wind must be," thought Diamond, "to live in what they call 'Out-of-Doors,' I suppose, and make windows into people's beds."
Now the voice began again. He could hear it quite plainly, even with his head under the bed-clothes. It was still more gentle now, though it was six times as large and loud as before. And he thought it sounded a little like his mother's. . . .
"You can't think it is polite to lie there with your head under the bed-clothes and never look to see what kind of a person you are talking to! I want you to come out with me."
"I want to go to sleep!" said Diamond.
"Will you take your head out of the bed-clothes?" said the voice a little angrily.
"No!" said Diamond crossly.
The moment he said the word a fierce blast of wind crashed in the wall and swept the clothes off him. He started up in a fright. Leaning over him was the large, beautiful, pale face of a woman. Her dark eyes had begun to flash a little but the rest of her face was very sweet and beautiful. What was very strange, though, was that away from her head streamed out her black hair in every direction like dark clouds. Soon it fell down about her again and then her face came out of it like the moon out of the clouds.
"Will you go with me now, little Diamond?" asked the North Wind bending over him and speaking very gently.
"Yes, yes!" cried Diamond, stretching out his arms toward her. "Yes, I will go with you, dear North Wind. I am not a bit afraid. I will go! But," he added, "how shall I get my clothes? They are in mother's room and the door is locked."
"Oh, never mind your clothes. You will not be cold. Nobody is cold with the North Wind."
"I thought everybody was," said Diamond.
"That is a great mistake. People are not cold when they are with the North Wind—only when they are against it. Now will you come?"
"Yes, dear North Wind. You are so beautiful I am quite ready to go with you."
"Ah, but I may not always look beautiful. If you see me with my face all black, don't be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like bat's wings, as big as the whole sky, don't be afraid. If you hear me raging, you must believe that I am just doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for it will be I just the same. And now, come!"
She turned away and went so swiftly that she was gone before Diamond was more than started. When he finally got down the stairs and out into the yard, no one did he see. And there he stood with his bare feet on the hard stones of the paved yard.
"I dare say she is hiding somewhere to see what I will do," said Diamond. So around the end of the stable he went to see if he could find her. But at once, sharp as a knife, the wind came against his little chest and bare legs. And stronger and stronger the wind seemed to blow. It was so cold! All at once, he remembered that she had said that people were not cold if they went with the North Wind. So he turned his back and trotted again toward the yard and sure enough, he began to feel almost warm once more!
On and on, North Wind blew him and, presently, she seemed to shove him right against a small door in a wall. It opened and she blew him through it and out into the very middle of the lawn of the house next door.



Create a summary of the passage by placing the important events in the correct order.

North Wind responds with a great
blast and then appears to Diamond
as a beautiful and gentle woman.

Diamond is at first overcome by the
fierce cold of the wind, but then
remembers to turn and go with the
wind.

North Wind calls upon Diamond to
leave his bed and come out with her,
but Diamond is annoyed by the voice.

Suddenly losing all fear, Diamond
responds to North Wind, and she
cautions him to go with her and
not against her.

North Wind warns Diamond to hold
on to her even if she should take on
frightful forms.