Page:Chinese Fables and Folk Stories.djvu/91

Rh And suddenly, without any warning, there came the angry roar of the thunder and the sharp cracking of the forked lightning as it separated the heavens.

Then the north winds, the south winds, the east winds, and the west winds came together a thousand and a thousand strong.

And the sun was no longer seen, for the earth was covered with a deep blackness as of the night. The clouds were coming to the cast, but the wind drove them all back to the west side of the heavens and finally much hail and snow were thrown down to the earth.

The clouds said to the snow, "Why do you go to earth? You are not wanted there. In the warm south land you are never welcomed. Your people would be killed at once if they went there. Even here you are allowed to stay only for a short time."

"We do not come to this earth for our own pleasure," answered the snow. "It was pleasanter where we were. We came to earth to help its people."

At this the clouds frowned until their faces became black and they said, "We can not believe that." "It is true," answered the snow. "In the summer time you will see how the people cry for pressed snow. They pay three pennies for one little cup of water that we have made cold.