noon
There was no breeze anywhere , and the mill was sound asleep . The windmill was lazy , like all its race , and unless an urging wind was blowing it would not work at all . On breezeless days the mill slept from morning until night , and then the farmers who had brought their grain grumbled and were angry with the poor Miller ; which , of course , was very unreasonable . Farmer Huss had vowed that if his grain was not ground before noon he would never come near the Miller again ; and that would be bad indeed , for , deaf though he was , he remained the Miller 's best customer . Worst of all , there was not a crust in the house , not a penny to buy bread . And although the children were now so busy blowing that they had forgotten to be hungry , before night they would be crying for food . What was to be done ?