The Moon answered, "What foolish talk is this? I the strongest of God's creatures! I shine in the night, but as soon as the Sun overtakes me he robs me of my light. Address yourself to the Sun; he is stronger than I." The Hermit now betook himself to the Sun, and said, "God be with thee, O strong and shining Sun! Thou art the strongest of all God's creatures. I have a daughter; take her for thy wife!" And the Sun replied, "Thou errest in taking me for the strongest. The clouds are stronger and mightier than I, for when I shed abroad my rays then the clouds unroll themselves and veil my splendor. So they are stronger than I." Then the Hermit sought a Cloud, and greeted him with, "God be with thee!" and said, "Thou Cloud-man, strongest and mightiest of all God's creatures, I have a daughter; take her for thy wife!" And the Cloud-man answered, "That cannot be, for the Wind is stronger than I. When I spread myself over the bright expanse of heaven, then comes the Wind and tears me into countless fragments. Go to the Wind; he is stronger than I." The Hermit betook himself to the Wind, hailed him with, "God be with thee!" and said, "Thou mightiest of all God's creatures, strongest of all in the world, take my daughter for thy wife!" The Wind answered, "Oh, old man, how should I be the strongest? When I begin to blow, the Mountain stands in my way, so that the people on its farther side know nothing about me. Go to the Mountain; he is stronger than I." The old man went to the Mountain and said, "God be with thee, thou rocky Mountain, strongest thing in the world! I have a daughter; take her for thy wife!" "Oho, old man!" answered the Mountain, "do you imagine that I am the strongest in the world? Don't you see me riddled all over by mice, who burrow in me night and day? Search for a Mouse, for he is stronger than I." So the old man went to a Mouse, and said, "Thou strongest of all God's creatures, I have a daughter; take her for thy wife!" "I am not unwilling," answered the Mouse, "but I have not yet seen the maiden. Bring her here first, that I may see her; then will I wed her." The old Hermit returned home and said, "Well, my little daughter, I have found a husband for you; follow me!" They presented themselves before the Mouse, and the old Hermit said, "Here is thy wife." "Oho, what shall I do with her?" asked the Mouse. "She cannot even get into my little palace!" But the maiden said to the old man, "This shall be my husband; only pray to God to transform me again into a Mouse, that I may go with him." The old Hermit, who saw no help for it, fell upon his knees and begged God to restore his daughter to her former state. That very moment the maiden was changed into a Mouse and went with her husband. As for the old Hermit, he still lived on piously till the end of his days, convinced that every one must die with the same nature with which he was born. "I should like to go to the sun, grandmother," said the little boy.