# V: The Summerhouse explained — At the Back of the North Wind > Chapter companion for At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald. ## What happens Diamond keeps his adventures with North Wind to himself, unsure if others would believe him. His father takes him to ride the horse Diamond to the blacksmith, and Diamond learns to guide the horse by first yielding to its movements. He gives a penny to the crossing-sweeper girl, who suspects North Wind is his father's horse. Later, Diamond spends time with Miss Coleman in the garden and, in a summerhouse, encounters North Wind in a tiny form helping a bumblebee escape a tulip. North Wind playfully chides Diamond for not recognizing her and briefly appears as a miniature figure on a river wall, waking a poet in a boat. That night, a thunderstorm terrifies Diamond, but he finds comfort in North Wind's presence. ## Themes in this chapter ### Innocence and Wisdom Diamond's innocent trust in North Wind and his simple, obedient nature contrast with his growing understanding of guiding the horse and recognizing North Wind in different forms. ### Duality of Nature North Wind appears both as a tiny, playful creature and as a powerful force that can wake a poet or stir a storm, highlighting her dual aspects. ### Moral Growth Through Adversity Diamond learns to guide the horse by yielding to its movements, a lesson in humility and cooperation, and faces the terror of a thunderstorm with growing resilience. ## Character check-ins ### Diamond Rides the horse Diamond to the forge, learns to guide the horse by obeying its movements, gives a penny to the crossing-sweeper girl, and later encounters North Wind in tiny form in the summerhouse. ### North Wind Appears as a tiny creature helping a bumblebee from a tulip, then as a miniature figure on a river wall waking a poet; chides Diamond for not recognizing her in different sizes. ### Nanny The crossing-sweeper girl who receives a penny from Diamond and suspects North Wind is his father's horse. ### Father Takes Diamond to ride the horse Diamond to the forge, allowing him to guide the horse; later warns Diamond not to dismount. ### Miss Coleman The young mistress who sits in the garden, calls Diamond to talk, and allows him to play in the garden; leaves the summerhouse as dusk falls. ## Key lines > And another discovery he made was that, in order to guide the horse, he had in a measure to obey the horse first. If he did not yield his body to the motions of the horse’s body, he could not guide him; he must fall off. Diamond realized that to steer the horse, he first had to adapt to its movements; otherwise, he would lose control and fall. _Illustrates Diamond's growing understanding of cooperation and humility._ > A poet is a man who is glad of something, and tries to make other people glad of it too. A poet is someone who feels joy and wants to share that joy with others. _North Wind's simple definition of a poet, contrasting with Diamond's literal interpretation._ > I have to do ten thousand things without being able to tell how. I must accomplish countless tasks without being able to explain the method. _North Wind's acknowledgment of the limits of explanation, a theme of mystery and faith._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/v-the-summerhouse - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters