After Wassamo had been among these curious people several months, the old Sand-Spirit said to him:
"Son-in-law, you must not be surprised at what you will see next; for since you have been with us you have never known us to go to sleep. It has been summer, when the sun never sets here where we live. But now, what you call winter is coming on. You will soon see us lie down, and we shall not rise again till the spring. Take my advice. Do not leave the lodge. I have sure knowledge that that knavish Island Spirit is on the prowl, and as he has command of a particular kind of storm, which comes from the south-west, he only waits his opportunity to catch you abroad and do you mischief. Try and amuse yourself. That cupboard," pointing to a corner of the lodge, "is never empty; for it is there that all the offerings are handed in while we are asleep. It is never empty, and—" But ere the old Sand-Spirit could utter another word, a loud rattling of thunder was heard, and instantly not only the Old Spirit but every one of his family vanished out of sight.
When the storm had passed by, they all reappeared in the lodge. This sudden vanishing and reappearance occurred at every tempest.
"You are surprised," said the Old Spirit, "to see us disappear when it thunders. The reason is this: that noise which you fancy is thunder is our enemy the Island Spirit hallooing on his way home from the hunt. We get out of sight that we may escape the necessity of asking him to come in and share our evening meal. We are not afraid of him, not in the least."
Just then it chanced to thunder again, and Wassamo observed that his father-in-law made, extraordinary despatch to conceal himself, although no stranger was in view, at all resembling in any way the Island Spirit.
Shortly after this the season of sleep began, and one by one they laid themselves down to the long slumber.
The Old Spirit was the last to drop away; and before he yielded, he went forth and had his last sport with the sand-hills. He so tossed and vexed the poor hills, scattered them to and fro, and whirled them up in the air and far over the land, that it was days and days before they got hack to anything like their natural shape.
While his relations were enjoying this long sleep, Wassamo amused himself as best he could. The cupboard never failed him once; for visit it when he i would, he always found a fresh supply of game and every other dainty which his heart desired.
But his chief pastime was to listen to the voices of the travelers who passed by the window at the side of the lodge, where they made their requests for comfortable weather and an easy journey.
These were often mingled with loud complainings, such as "Ho! how the sand jumps about!"