At the Back of the North Wind characters

Appears from the start

A gentle young boy who lives with his parents above the stable where his father works. He is named after his father's horse and treats strange experiences with openhearted seriousness. When a voice enters through a hole by his bed, he follows it and begins a friendship with the mysterious North Wind.

First appears in chapter 4

The immense, changeable being who rules the north wind. She can appear as a beautiful woman with streaming dark hair, become small enough to enter Diamond's room, or surround him as a storm. She befriends the boy but makes clear that her work is not always comfortable or easy for people to understand.

Also known as Old Diamond

First appears in chapter 3

The good-tempered carriage horse cared for by Diamond's father. The boy shares his name and often rests near him in the stable. His steadiness and livelihood are closely bound to the family's fortunes.

Appears from the start

Diamond's father, a capable and affectionate coachman. His work with horses supports the family, and he listens patiently to his son's unusual thoughts even when he cannot fully follow them.

Appears from the start

Diamond's practical, loving mother. She cares for him through illness, worries about the dangers he fails to notice, and helps hold the household together as its circumstances change.

First appears in chapter 19

A poor girl who sweeps a London crossing and survives by her quickness and persistence. Diamond approaches her without condescension and soon regards her as a friend.

First appears in chapter 22

A thoughtful, well-to-do gentleman who becomes interested in Diamond's speech and songs. He recognizes the boy's unusual goodness and uses his own resources to help people Diamond cares about.

First appears in chapter 29

A cab horse whose poor condition becomes a concern to Diamond. The boy attends to him with the same patience and sympathy he shows to troubled people.

First appears in chapter 28

The princess at the center of a fairy story Diamond encounters. A curse makes her sleep through the day and wake only at night, leaving those who love her to search for a way to restore her to ordinary life.

First appears in chapter 35

The storyteller who enters the account as someone personally acquainted with Diamond. His meeting with the boy supplies an outside view of Diamond's character and later circumstances.