The first English window was just a slit in the wall. (29) It was cut long, so that it would let in as much light as possible, and narrow, to keep out the bad weather. However, the slit let in more wind than light. This is why it was called 'the wind's eye'. The word window itself comes from two Old Norse words for wind and eye. Before windows were used, the ancient halls and castles of northern Europe and Britain were dark and smoky. Their great rooms were high, with only a hole in the roof to let out the smoke from torches and cooking fires. As time went on, people wanted more light and air in their homes. They made the wind's eyes wider so as to admit air and light. They stretched canvas across them to keep out the weather. The first window was a______.