“Be thou a prince!”
Straightway Hofus was a prince. He had servants dressed in crimson and gold, and he rode in a carriage with a golden umbrella over his head.
For a short time he was happy, but one day, as he walked in the garden, he saw that the flowers were drooping, the grass was dry and brown. And when he rode out he felt the hot sun burn him in spite of his umbrella.
“The sun is mightier than I,” thought he, and then he sighed:—
“Ah me! Ah me!
If Hofus only the sun might be!”
And the voice answered:—
“Be thou the sun!”
Straightway the great sun he became. He burned the grass and rice fields. He dried up the streams. Rich and poor alike suffered from the terrible heat.
One day a cloud came and rested in front of him, and hid the earth from his sight. He was angry and cried:—
“Ah me! Ah me!
If Hofus only a cloud might be!”