areairballoonsinventedyet?"heaskedofhisfather,whoknewofallinventionsthathadbeenmade,orwouldbemade.

airballoonshadnotthenbeeninvented,norsteam-ships,norrailways.

"good,"saidhe;"thenishallchooseanairballoon;myfatherknowshowtheyaretobemadeandguided.nobodyhasinventedoneyet,andthepeoplewillbelievethatitisanaerialphantom.whenihavedonewiththeballoonishallburnit,andforthispurpose,youmustgivemeafewpiecesofanotherinvention,whichwillcomenext;imeanafewchemicalmatches."

heobtainedwhathewanted,andflewaway.thebirdsaccompaniedhimfartherthantheyhadtheotherbrothers.theywerecurioustoknowhowthisflightwouldend.manymoreofthemcameswoopingdown;theythoughtitmustbesomenewbird,andhesoonhadagoodlycompanyoffollowers.theycameincloudstilltheairbecamedarkenedwithbirdsasitwaswiththecloudoflocustsoverthelandofegypt.

andnowhewasoutinthewideworld.theballoondescendedoveroneofthegreatestcities,andtheaeronauttookuphisstationatthehighestpoint,onthechurchsteeple.theballoonroseagainintotheair,whichitoughtnottohavedone;whatbecameofitisnotknown,neitherisitofanyconsequence,forballoonshadnotthenbeeninvented.

therehesatonthechurchsteeple.thebirdsnolongerhoveredoverhim;theyhadgottiredofhim,andhewastiredofthem.allthechimneysinthetownweresmoking.

"therearealtarserectedtomyhonor,"saidthewind,whowishedtosaysomethingagreeabletohimashesatthereboldlylookingdownuponthepeopleinthestreet.therewasonesteppingalong,proudofhispurse;another,ofthekeyhecarriedbehindhim,thoughhehadnothingtolockup;anothertookaprideinhismoth-eatencoat;andanother,inhismortifiedbody."vanity,allvanity!"heexclaimed."imustgodownthereby-and-by,andtouchandtaste;butishallsitherealittlewhilelonger,forthewindblowspleasantlyatmyback.ishallremainhereaslongasthewindblows,andenjoyalittlerest.itiscomfortabletosleeplateinthemorningwhenonehadagreatdealtodo,"saidthesluggard;"soishallstophereaslongasthewindblows,foritpleasesme."

andtherehestayed.butashewassittingontheweather-cockofthesteeple,whichkeptturningroundandroundwithhim,hewasunderthefalseimpressionthatthesamewindstillblew,andthathecouldstaywherehewaswithoutexpense.

butinindia,inthecastleonthetreeofthesun,allwassolitaryandstill,sincethebrothershadgoneawayoneaftertheother.

"nothinggoeswellwiththem,"saidthefather;"theywillneverbringtheglitteringjewelhome,itisnotmadeforme;theyarealldeadandgone."thenhebentdownoverthebookoftruth,andgazedonthepageonwhichheshouldhavereadofthelifeafterdeath,butforhimtherewasnothingtobereadorlearneduponit.

hisblinddaughterwashisconsolationandjoy;sheclungtohimwithsincereaffection,andforthesakeofhishappinessandpeaceshewishedthecostlyjewelcouldbefoundandbroughthome.

withlongingtendernessshethoughtofherbrothers.wherewerethey?wheredidtheylive?howshewishedshemightdreamofthem;butitwasstrangethatnotevenindreamscouldshebebroughtneartothem.butatlastonenightshedreamtthatsheheardthevoicesofherbrotherscallingtoherfromthedistantworld,andshecouldnotrefrainherself,butwentouttothem,andyetitseemedinherdreamthatshestillremainedinherfather'shouse.shedidnotseeherbrothers,butshefeltasitwereafireburninginherhand,which,however,didnothurther,foritwasthejewelshewasbringingtoherfather.whensheawokeshethoughtforamomentthatshestillheldthestone,butsheonlygraspedtheknobofherdistaff.

duringthelongeveningsshehadspunconstantly,androundthedistaffwerewoventhreadsfinerthanthewebofaspider;humaneyescouldneverhavedistinguishedthesethreadswhenseparatedfromeachother.butshehadwettedthemwithhertears,andthetwistwasasstrongasacable.sherosewiththeimpressionthatherdreammustbeareality,andherresolutionwastaken.

itwasstillnight,andherfatherslept;shepressedakissuponhishand,andthentookherdistaffandfastenedtheendofthethreadtoherfather'shouse.butforthis,blindasshewas,shewouldneverhavefoundherwayhomeagain;tothisthreadshemustholdfast,andtrustnottoothersoreventoherself.fromthetreeofthesunshebrokefourleaves;whichshegaveuptothewindandtheweather,thattheymightbecarriedtoherbrothersaslettersandagreeting,incaseshedidnotmeettheminthewideworld.poorblindchild,whatwouldbecomeofherinthosedistantregions?