Ah , here he comes , you can see for yourself . ' And she DID see , for catching up the cloud as he passed , he threw it on the other side of the sky . Then , tumbling father , mother and daughter down to the earth again , he paused for a moment beside them , his foot on an old wall . When she had recovered her breath , the mother began her little speech once more . ` The wall is the proper husband for your daughter , ' answered the wind , whose home consisted of a cave , which he only visited when he was not rushing about elsewhere ; ` you can see for yourself that he is greater than I , for he has power to stop me in my flight . ' And the mother , who did not trouble to conceal her wishes , turned at once to the wall . Then something happened which was quite unexpected by everyone . ' I wo n't marry that ugly old wall , which is as old as my grandfather , ' sobbed the girl , who had not uttered one word all this time . ' I would have married the sun , or the cloud , or the wind , because it was my duty , although I love the handsome young rat , and him only . But that horrid old wall -- I would sooner die ! ' And the wall , rather hurt in his feelings , declared that he had no claim to be the husband of so beautiful a girl . ` It is quite true , ' he said , ` that I can stop the wind who can part the clouds who can cover the sun ; but there is someone who can do more than all these , and that is the rat . It is the rat who passes through me , and can reduce me to powder , simply with his teeth . If , therefore , you want a son-in-law who is greater than the whole world , seek him among the rats . ' ` Ah , what did I tell you ? ' cried the father . And his wife , though for the moment angry at being beaten , soon thought that a rat son-in-law was what she had always desired . So all three returned happily home , and the wedding was celebrated three days after . -LSB- Contes Populaires . -RSB- The Mermaid and the Boy Long , long ago , there lived a king who ruled over a country by the sea .
When he had been married about a year , some XXXXX his subjects , inhabiting a distant group of islands , revolted against his laws , and it became needful for him to leave his wife and go in person to settle their disputes .
about although among because by of on than through to