ad been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big
ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little
wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and
grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall
chimneys and engines and steamboats. Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind
had been very, very busy.

Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home
behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she
carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had
been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day. One by one they
crept into the big bag, for they were tired, too, and ready to go to
their home behind the Purple Hills.

Pretty soon all were in the bag but one, a willful little Breeze, who
was not quite ready to go home; he wanted to play just a little longer.
He danced ahead of Old Mother West Wind. He kissed the sleepy daisies.
He shook the nodding buttercups. He set all the little poplar leaves a
dancing, too, and he wouldn't come into the big bag. So Old Mother West
Wind closed the big bag and slung it over her shoulder. Then she started
on towards her home behind the Purple Hills.

When she had gone, the willful little Breeze left behind suddenly felt
very lonely--very lonely indeed! The sleepy daisies didn't want to play.
The nodding buttercups were cross. Great round bright Mr. Sun, who had
been shining and shining all day long, went to bed and put on his night
cap of golden clouds. Black shadows came creeping, creeping out into the
Green Meadows.

The willful little Breeze began to wish that he was safe in Old Mother
West Wind's big bag with all the other Merry Little Breezes.

So he started across the Green Meadows to find the Purple Hills. But
all the hills were black now and he could not tell which he should look
behind to find his home with Old Mother West Wind and the Merry Little
Breezes. How he did wish that he had minded Old Mother West Wind.

By and by he curled up under a bayberry bush and tried to go to sleep,
but he was lonely, oh, so lonely! And he couldn't go to sleep. Old
Mother Moon came up and flooded all the Green Meadows with light, but it
wasn't like the bright light of jolly round Mr. Sun, for it was cold and
white and it made many black shadows.

Pretty soon the willful little Breeze heard Hooty the Owl out hunting
for a meadow mouse for his dinner. Then down