as the water on which they leaned swayed in the presence of North Wind;
and now they would watch the fishes asleep among their roots below.
Sometimes she would hold Diamond over a deep hollow curving
into the bank, that he might look far into the cool stillness.
Sometimes she would leave the river and sweep across a clover-field.
The bees were all at home, and the clover was asleep. Then she would
return and follow the river. It grew wider and wider as it went.
Now the armies of wheat and of oats would hang over its rush
from the opposite banks; now the willows would dip low branches
in its still waters; and now it would lead them through stately
trees and grassy banks into a lovely garden, where the roses
and lilies were asleep, the tender flowers quite folded up,
and only a few wide-awake and sending out their life in sweet,
strong odours. Wider and wider grew the stream, until they came
upon boats lying along its banks, which rocked a little in the
flutter of North Wind's garments. Then came houses on the banks,
each standing in a lovely lawn, with grand trees; and in parts
the river was so high that some of the grass and the roots of some
of the trees were under water, and Diamond, as they glided through
between the stems, could see the grass at the bottom of the water.
Then they would leave the river and float about and over the houses,
one after another--beautiful rich houses, which, like fine trees,
had taken centuries to grow. There was scarcely a light to be seen,
and not a movement to be heard: all the people in them lay
fast asleep.

"What a lot of dreams they must be dreaming!" said Diamond.

"Yes," returned North Wind. "They can't surely be all lies--
can they?"