The little boy, Diamond, woke in the middle of the night. He sat up and listened. The wind was whistling and moaning outside. But there was something else. At least Diamond thought there was.
A voice. Someone had called his name, he was sure. He listened, and there it was again. It was a gentle voice, and yet it seemed a bit angry now. It seemed to be coming from outside.

Diamond wasn't really afraid. But he was curious. The voice seemed to come through a little hole in the wall. The past few nights the north wind had been blowing, and it came in through this hole in Diamond's bedroom sharp and cold. Diamond's mother had pasted a piece of paper over the hole. A corner of the paper had come loose, and now the wind whistled in through the tiny crack. The voice seemed to come in with the wind. Diamond put his ear up to the paper on the hole.

"What do you mean by closing up my window, little boy?" the voice asked, more clearly now.

"What window?" Diamond asked.

"You stuffed hay into it three times last night, and I had to blow it out each time. And now you've covered it with paper."

"You can't mean this little hole! This isn't a window, it's a hole into my bedroom."

"I didn't say it was a window. I said it was my window."

"But it can't be a window. Windows are to see out of."

"Well, that's just what I made this window for," said the voice.

"But you are outside!" said Diamond. "You don't need a window."

"You say that windows are to see out of. Well, I'm in my house, and I want windows to see out of."

"But you've made a window into my bedroom!"

"Well, your mother has three windows into my dancing room, and you have three into my garden. Now please open my window."

"Well, Mother says I ought to obey, but, you see, the north wind will blow in my face if I do."

"I am the north wind."

Diamond's breath caught. "Oh," he said. He thought for a moment. "Then, will you promise not to blow on my face if I do?"

"I can't promise that," said the voice.

"But you'll give me a toothache. Mother's got it already."

"But what's to become of me without a window?"

"I don't know. But it will be worse for me than for you."

"No, it will not, I promise you that. You will be much the better for it. Just believe what I say, and do as I tell you."