Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/131

son was the north wind. The girl asked to be allowed to remain there for the night, and begged she would ask her son where the "Crows' Tower " was situated, because she had been told that the north wind would know where it was. Shortly after this the north wind came in by the door, blowing strongly as it whistled vuuuu .... vuuuu .... and crying out with a shrill voice, "Mother I smell human blood." The mother replied, "Be calm, my son, it is nothing whatever." And she then told him of all that had passed since he had left home, and she asked him to inform the girl she had there where the "Crows' Tower " was situated as she wished to go to it. He replied, and told his mother that she must tell the girl that the north-east wind was sure to know, and that he himself was ignorant of its whereabouts. The wind departed, and the woman, uncovering the woodon chest, gave the girl all the information she had received from her son, and the injunction that she was not to forget to wet her boots over continually. She set out on her expedition at once, was mindful to wet her boots, and continually examined them to see if they were getting worn out; and at first she was much distressed because the boots did not seem to wear out, but after a while she was happier, for she saw them getting rusty. She walked all day, and only as night approached did she find another hut. She also knocked at the door of this hut, and an old woman appeared, who made the girl the same speech as the other had done. The girl entreated her to allow her to go in for the night, as she had nowhere to go, and begged the old woman kindly to ask her son, where the "Crows' Tower " was situated, and the way to reach it, as she had been informed that the north-east wind was the only wind that could tell her. The woman shut her up in the chest, and very soon after the north-east wind came in whistling; hoom ...... hoom ...... hoom ..... "Oh! mother, I smell human flesh." "Oh no, my son, you make a mistake," was the