At the Back of the North Wind: Large Print

I HAVE been asked to tell you about the back of the north wind. An old Greek writermentions a people who lived there, and were so comfortable that they could not bear it anylonger, and drowned themselves. My story is not the same as his. I do not think Herodotushad got the right account of the place. I am going to tell you how it fared with a boy whowent there.He lived in a low room over a coach-house; and that was not by any means at the back ofthe north wind, as his mother very well knew. For one side of the room was built only ofboards, and the boards were so old that you might run a penknife through into the northwind. And then let them settle between them which was the sharper I know that when youpulled it out again the wind would be after it like a cat after a mouse, and you would knowsoon enough you were not at the back of the north wind. Still, this room was not very cold, except when the north wind blew stronger than usual: the room I have to do with now wasalways cold, except in summer, when the sun took the matter into his own hands. Indeed, Iam not sure whether I ought to call it a room at all; for it was just a loft where they kept hayand straw and oats for the horse