You cannot be cruel." "No; I could not be cruel if I would.

I can do nothing cruel, although I often do what looks like cruel to those who do not know what I really am doing.

The people they say I drown, I only carry away to--to--to--well, the back of the North Wind--that is what they used to call it long ago, only I never saw the place." "How can you carry them there if you never saw it ?" "I know the way." "But how is it you never saw it ?" "Because it is behind me." "But you can look round." "Not far enough to see my own back.

No; I always look before me.

In fact, I grow quite blind and deaf when I try to see my back.