For a little longer he waited and then began to stir about impatiently upon his Chimney seat.
“Go out and search the Plain more carefully than was done by your fellow,” he shouted to another of the Breezes. “It is quite impossible that the Prince should still be in the Elf’s house.”
Swift to obey his master, the second Breeze went forth, yet came back in a little while, declaring that he had seen no one but the Ash Goblin, bending over the ground as though intent upon some task.
“Bah!” exclaimed the Wind. “Why do you come to me with such news as that? What difference can it make to me what such a wretched creature as the Ash Goblin is doing? Let him amuse himself with his trifles as he pleases.”
Thus rebuffed, his servant retreated shamefacedly to his post, and again the Wind waited.
Such a great length of time had passed since they had taken up their vigil at the Chimney Mouth, that the Breezes themselves were beginning to be uneasy, and to suspect that by means of some enchantment the Prince had actually escaped them.
Then they bethought them of the moment when the Elf’s door had been seen to open and shut without anyone coming out of it, and they were troubled, and wondered whether they should, perhaps, have made the matter known to their master at the time.
Finally, one of their number, bolder than the rest, summoned up his courage and went and told the Wind of it.
“What!” shrieked the Wind, rising in a tempest of rage. “Can it be that you saw anything so important as this and brought me no word of it? Magic has been at work! This Prince has without doubt escaped me. Even at this instant he may be upon the Plain under the very eyes of my watchers!”
Hurling the messenger from him, the Wind rushed down to the Chimney Mouth. He buffeted to right and left the Breezes who stood there, and whirled out upon the Plain to see for himself whether or not what he suspected was true.