The Wind Fairies are heard outside, making the wind-noise, like this:
z—z—z z—z—z z—Z—Z—Z—z—z—z
z—z—z z—z—z z—Z—Z—Z—z—z—z
GRANDMOTHER listens to them, then begins her story: Well, once there was a wicked king, who didn't like cold weather; so he sent his soldiers, and told them to catch all the cold Wind Fairies and—
TOM interrupts her to ask: Are there really Wind Fairies, Grandmother?
GRANDMOTHER answers: Of course there are. I think I heard them a moment ago. Listen!
They all listen. The Wind Fairies are heard outside, like this:
z—z—z z—z—z z—Z—Z—Z—z—z—z
Do you hear them? asks GRANDMOTHER. The children all nod. Yes, she continues, going on with the story, the king told his soldiers to catch all the Wind Fairies, and all the Snow Fairies, and Jack Frost himself, and to lock them all up in prison.
And did the soldiers do it? asks HELEN.
Yes, answers GRANDMOTHER. They locked up all of them except one little Wind Fairy, and he was so small and so quick, that they couldn't catch him; and what do you suppose he did? He rattled the windows so hard that the king couldn't sleep, and he blew so hard down the chimney and through the cracks around the doors, that he blew out all the lights in the king's house, and gave the king such a bad cold in his head, that—