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The horse belonged to little Diamond's father, who was a coachman. Diamond's family lived in a coach house, the horse below, the people above. Diamond's father loved the old horse so much that he named his little boy after him. Diamond the boy was very proud of his name.

""Diamond is a very pretty name," he said, a little crossly.

"A diamond is rather a useless thing, actually," said the voice.

"That's not true!" said Diamond. "Diamond is very nice. Very big, and quiet all night. And he makes a jolly noise in the morning, getting up on his four great legs. It's like thunder."

"You don't seem to know what a diamond is," said the voice.

"Oh, don't I? Diamond is a great and good horse, and he sleeps right under me. He is Old Diamond, and I am Young Diamond. Or if you like, Mr. North Wind, he's Big Diamond, and I'm Little Diamond, and I don't know which of us my father likes best."

Diamond pulled the covers over his head.

Leaning over him was a tall, tall woman.

The voice laughed then, a beautiful laugh, very soft and musical. "I'm not Mr. North Wind," the voice said.

"You said you were the north wind," said Diamond, still under the covers.

"I didn't say Mister North Wind," said the voice.

"Well, Mother says I ought to be polite."

"Then let me tell you that I don't think it at all polite of you to say Mister to me. And you can't say it's polite to lie there talking with your head under your covers and never look up to see what kind of person you are talking to. I want you to come out with me."

"I want to go to sleep," said Diamond.

"You will sleep all the better tomorrow night," said the voice. "Will you take your head out of the covers?" The voice sounded a little angry again.

"No!" said Diamond.

Just then a blast of wind burst through the cracks between the boards of the wall, snapping one of the boards in two and sweeping the covers off Diamond. Then just as suddenly, it was calm.

Diamond stared up in terror. Leaning over him was a tall, tall woman. She was very pale but very beautiful. Her dark eyes flashed and her dark hair streamed out in every direction, as if the darkness of the hay loft were made of her hair.

Diamond was suddenly no longer afraid. He gazed at the beautiful face. Light seemed to shine out from her eyes and glow all around her face.

"I'm sorry I was forced to be so rough with you,"she said. "Will you go with me now, little Diamond?"

"I will. Yes, I will," he said, holding out his arms. "But I should get my clothes."

"Never mind your clothes," she said. "You will not be cold with me. Nobody is cold with the north wind."

He stretched out his arms to her again.

"You're not afraid?" she asked.

"I thought everybody was."

"People are cold only because they are not with the north wind, but without it."

Diamond wasn't old enough yet to wonder if this were a joke. He wasn't old enough to think of himself as too wise to believe her. So he simply believed her. He stretched out his arms to her again. The lady's face drew back. "Follow me, Diamond," she said.

He got out of his little bed, tucked away in the soft hay, and went up to her.

"You're not afraid?" she asked.

"No, ma'am," he said. "But Mother would never let me go out without shoes. She never said anything about clothes, so I don't think she'd mind that."

"I know your mother very well," said the lady. "She is a good woman. I have visited her often. I was with her when you were born. I saw her laugh and cry both at once. I love your mother, Diamond."

"How is it that you didn't know my name, then, ma'am? Please, ma'am, am I to say ma'am to you, ma'am?"

"One question at a time, dear boy," she said, laughing. "I knew your name quite well, but I wanted to hear what you would say for it. I know all about you and your mother. Now, will you go with me?"

"Now for the next question. You're not to call me ma'am. You must call me just my own name - North Wind."

"No, I'm not bad. But sometimes beautiful things go bad by doing bad, and it takes some time for their badness to spoil their beauty. So little boys may be mistaken if they go after things because they are beautiful."