roaredthewind,andwenton,"ididnotseeinthishouse,asinothergreathouses,thehigh-bornladysittingamongherwomen,turningthespinning-wheel.shecouldsweepthesoundingchordsoftheguitar,andsingtothemusic,notalwaysdanishmelodies,butthesongsofastrangeland.itwas'liveandletlive,'here.strangerguestscamefromfarandnear,musicsounded,gobletsclashed,andi,"saidthewind,"wasnotabletodrownthenoise.ostentation,pride,splendor,anddisplayruled,butnotthefearofthelord.

"itwasontheeveningofthefirstdayofmay,"thewindcontinued,"icamefromthewest,andhadseentheshipsoverpoweredwiththewaves,whenallonboardpersistedorwerecastshipwreckedonthecoastofjutland.ihadhurriedacrosstheheathandoverjutland'swood-girteasterncoast,andovertheislandoffunen,andthenidroveacrossthegreatbelt,sighingandmoaning.atlengthilaydowntorestontheshoresofzeeland,neartothegreathouseofborreby,wherethesplendidforestofoaksstillflourished.theyoungmenoftheneighborhoodwerecollectingbranchesandbrushwoodundertheoak-trees.thelargestanddryesttheycouldfindtheycarriedintothevillage,andpiledthemupinaheapandsetthemonfire.thenthemenandmaidensdanced,andsunginacircleroundtheblazingpile.ilayquitequiet,"saidthewind,"butisilentlytouchedabranchwhichhadbeenbroughtbyoneofthehandsomestoftheyoungmen,andthewoodblazedupbrightly,blazedbrighterthanalltherest.thenhewaschosenasthechief,andreceivedthenameoftheshepherd;andmightchoosehislambfromamongtherewasgreatermirthandrejoicingthanihadeverheardinthehallsoftherichbaronialhouse.thenthenobleladydrovebytowardsthebaron'smansionwithherthreedaughters,inagildedcarriagedrawnbysixhorses.thedaughterswereyoungandbeautiful-threecharmingblossoms-arose,alily,andawhitehyacinth.themotherwasaproudtulip,andneveracknowledgedthesalutationsofanyofthemenormaidenswhopausedintheirsporttodoherhonor.thegraciousladyseemedlikeaflowerthatwasratherstiffinthestalk.rose,lily,andhyacinth-yes,isawthemallthree.whoselittlelambswilltheyonedaybecome?thoughti;theirshepherdwillbeagallantknight,perhapsaprince.thecarriagerolledon,andthepeasantsresumedtheirdancing.theydroveaboutthesummerthroughallthevillagesnear.butonenight,wheniroseagain,thehigh-bornladylaydowntoriseagainnomore;thatthingcametoherwhichcomestousall,inwhichthereisnothingnew.waldemardaaremainedforatimesilentandthoughtful.'theloftiesttreemaybebowedwithoutbeingbroken,'saidavoicewithinhim.hisdaughterswept;allthepeopleinthemansionwipedtheireyes,butladydaahaddrivenaway,andidroveawaytoo,"saidthewind."whir-r-r,whir-r-r-!

"ireturnedagain;ioftenreturnedandpassedovertheislandoffunenandtheshoresofthebelt.thenirestedbyborreby,nearthegloriouswood,wheretheheronmadehisnest,thehauntofthewood-pigeons,theblue-birds,andtheblackstork.itwasyetspring,someweresittingontheireggs,othershadalreadyhatchedtheiryoungbroods;buthowtheyflutteredaboutandcriedoutwhentheaxesoundedthroughtheforest,blowuponblow!thetreesoftheforestweredoomed.waldemardaawantedtobuildanobleship,aman-of-war,athree-decker,whichthekingwouldbesuretobuy;andthese,thetreesofthewood,thelandmarkoftheseamen,therefugeofthebirds,mustbefelled.thehawkstartedupandflewaway,foritsnestwasdestroyed;theheronandallthebirdsoftheforestbecamehomeless,andflewaboutinfearandanger.icouldwellunderstandhowtheyfelt.crowsandravenscroaked,asifinscorn,whilethetreeswerecrackingandfallingaroundthem.farintheinteriorofthewood,whereanoisyswarmoflaborerswereworking,stoodwaldemardaaandhisthreedaughters,andallwerelaughingatthewildcriesofthebirds,exceptingone,theyoungest,annadorothea,whofeltgrievedtotheheart;andwhentheymadepreparationstofellatreethatwasalmostdead,andonwhosenakedbranchestheblackstorkhadbuilthernest,shesawthepoorlittlethingsstretchingouttheirnecks,andshebeggedformercyforthem,withthetearsinhereyes.sothetreewiththeblackstork'snestwasleftstanding;thetreeitself,however,wasnotworthmuchtospeakof.thentherewasagreatdealofhewingandsawing,andatlastthethree-deckerwasbuilt.thebuilderwasamanofloworigin,butpossessinggreatpride;hiseyesandforeheadspokeoflargeintellect,andwaldemardaawasfondoflisteningtohim,andsowaswaldemar'sdaughterida,theeldest,nowaboutfifteenyearsold;andwhilehewasbuildingtheshipforthefather,hewasbuildingforhimselfacastleintheair,inwhichheandidaweretolivewhentheyweremarried.thismighthavehappened,indeed,iftherehadbeenarealcastle,withstonewalls,ramparts,andamoat.butinspiteofhiscleverhead,thebuilderwasstillbutapoor,inferiorbird;andhowcanasparrowexpecttobeadmittedintothesocietyofpeacocks?