Page:TASJ-1-3.djvu/283

 said “The most powerful thing in the world, is, beyond comparison, the sun. If you marry your daughter to the sun there will be nobody in all the world to equal you.” When the parent mice heard this they were greatly delighted and went straightway to the sun and told him of their desire that he should take their daughter to wife. The sun replied—“I am extremely obliged to you for coming such a long journey and for your kind intention of allowing me to wed your dearly beloved daughter. But what, pray, was your idea in choosing me for a son-in law?” The mice said, “We wish to marry our daughter to whatever is most powerful in the world, and as you are, beyond rivalry, the most powerful personage in the world, that is why we desire to give you our daughter in marriage.” The Sun rejoined:—“You are certainly not without reason in considering me the most powerful thing in the world;” but there is one still more powerful than I am, for whose strength I am in no way a match. It is to that you ought to marry your daughter.” “Can there be aught more powerful than you?” said the mice. The Sun rejoined:—“Oft-times when I want to illumine the world a floating cloud comes out and covers me so that I am rendered powerless. My power is no match for that of the cloud. If it is a powerful thing you want there is nought like the cloud.” The mice answered “What you say is certainly the truth.” After that they went to the cloud, and expressed to it their wish to have it for their son-in-law. The cloud said, “True, I have the strength to cover over the Sun, but as soon as the wind begins to blow I am at once scattered to pieces and can do nothing. I am no match for the power of the wind.” Then the mice went their way and coming to the wind, made their proposal of marriage. The wind said.—“True, I have the strength to blow the cloud to pieces, but when a wall is put up to keep me off, I cannot blow through that wall. I am no match for the power of the wall.” Then the mice went their way and coming to the wall told their story as before. The wall said, “True, I have the strength