UP TO THE SKY AND BACK

One day not long ago the Sun called his sunshine fairies together.

“Dear fairies,” he said, “I shall need a great many clouds next week. Will you help make them?”

“Yes, yes,” said the fairies, “we will help you. We are glad to help, because we are always happy when we are helping someone.”

The fairies had helped the Sun so many times that they knew just what to do.

Some of the little fairies went down into the country, and gathered dew in the fields and meadows. Then up they flew with the dewdrops.

The other fairies flew down to the brook, and took as many drops of water from it as they could carry. Away they flew to the Sun.

After a while the Sun said, “Dear little sunshine fairies, you have brought me so many drops of water that I have enough to make a great many clouds.”

When the Sun had the clouds all ready, he said, “Now I wish the Wind were here. He would blow the clouds just where I want them to go.”

Soon the Sun heard the Wind coming, and he said, “Will you help me? I have a great many clouds ready, and I want to send them to different places.”

The Wind answered, “I shall be very glad to help you.”

Then the Sun said, “Away over in the city the streets are very hot, and the trees want a drink. First, will you please take some of the clouds over to the city and give the trees a drink.”

The Wind took some of the clouds and left them just above the city. Soon the raindrops were falling on the houses and the trees and the streets. Faster and faster they fell. How glad everything was to have a drink!

Then the Wind went back to the Sun and said, “Dear Sun, I have taken those clouds to the city. Where shall I take some of the others?”

The Sun answered, “The farmers in the country would like some rain to make the corn and the wheat and the grass grow. Please take these clouds over into the country.”

The Wind blew very hard, and soon the clouds were over the fields. In a few minutes the raindrops were falling on the grass and the corn and the wheat.

So the little drops of water came back to the earth, where they had been before the fairies took them up to the Sun, who made them into clouds.

As the Sun looked down upon the earth, he saw a small brook that had just a little water in it. Then he thought, “The fish in that brook need more water. I will send a cloud over there.”

When the Wind came back, the Sun said,“Please blow some of the clouds over to the little brook.”

The Wind did as he was asked to do, and the rain fell down into the brook, until the fish had plenty of water.

So, you see, the little drops of water went up to the sky and came back again.

We have to thank the Sun, the sunshine fairies, and the Wind for giving us a drink, and for giving a drink to everything else on earth.

——Katherine Orr