Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/149

 tears, till at last the girl bethought her of the terrible demon.

"This is now the third day that he has slept," cried she; "let us hasten away before the fourth day is spent also." So they mounted, whipped up their horses, and were already well on their way when the Wind-Demon awoke on the fourth day. Then he went to the girl's door and bade her open, that he might at least see her face for a brief moment. He waited, but he got no answer. Then, auguring some evil, he beat in the door, and lo! the place where the damsel should have lain was cold.

"So-ho, Prince Mehmed!" cried he, "thou hast come here, eh, and stolen away my Sultana? Well, wait a while! go thy way, whip up thy fleet steed! for I'll catch thee up in the long run." And with that he sat down at his ease, drank his coffee, smoked his chibook, and then rose up and went after them.

Meanwhile the King's son was galloping off with the girl with all his might, when all at once the girl felt the demon's breath, and cried out in her terror: "Alas, my King, the Wind-Demon is here!" Like a whirlwind the invisible monster was upon them, caught up the youth, tore off his arms and legs, and smashed his skull and all his bones till there was not a bit of him left.

The damsel began to weep bitterly. "Even if thou