You shall see."
At the same moment along came the wind, and with one blow swept the
cloud out of sight, after which, overturning father, mother, and
daughter, he tumbled with them, pell-mell, at the foot of an old wall.
"Quick, quick," cried the mother-rat, struggling to her feet, "and let
us repeat our compliments to the wind."
"You'd better address yourself to the wall," growled the wind roughly.
"You see very well he is greater than I, for he stops me and makes me
draw back."
No sooner had she heard these words than mother-rat faced about and
presented her daughter to the wall. Ah, but now the fair rat-maiden
imitated the wind; she drew back also. He whom she really adored in
her heart of hearts was the fascinating young rat who had paid his
court to her so well. However, to please her mother, she had consented
to wed the Sun, in spite of his blinding rays, or the cloud, in spite
of his sulky look, even the wind, in spite of his brusque manner; but
an old, broken wall!... No! death would be better a thousand times.
Fortunately the wall excused himself, like all the rest. "Certainly,"
he said, "I can stop the wind, who can sweep away the cloud, who can
cover up the Sun, but there is some one greater than I: it is the rat,
who can pass through my body, and can even, if he chooses, reduce
me to powder with his teeth.
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