"Bow your heads!" it said to the pine trees and the oak trees.
They bowed their heads and waved their branches to and fro.
The wind blew harder, and the clouds sailed faster and faster across the sky.
"It is going to rain," said Mrs. Duck.
"Yes," called Robin Redbreast. "It is going to rain. I know it is. I must fly to the woods until the shower is over.
"Come, little ducks," said their mother.
"We must so back to the barn until the shower is over. I think the wind will blow very hard, and I do not like the wind."
So the robin flew to the woods, and the ducks went back to the barn.
Sammy Red Squirrel saw the shower coming, and he scampered home as fast as he could go.
Billy and Bobtail were playing in their yard, when the wind rushed by and called to them.
"Run in, little rabbits," said the wind. "I am bringing a shower. Run in or you will get your fur coats wet."
So Billy and Bobtail hopped into the house and curled up to take a nap until the shower was over.
II
The wind puffed out his cheeks and blew harder and harder.
The clouds sailed across the sky faster and faster.
It was almost as dark as night.
And Bunny slept on, under the big oak tree.
Patter, patter, patter! the rain drops fell on the oak leaves.
Easter and faster they fell. In a few minutes the leaves were wet.
Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree.
One great big drop fell on Bunny"s nose. Then another fell on his ear.
He waked up with a start.
"What is the matter?" he said. "What is the matter?"
He opened his eyes wide and then he knew what was the matter.
"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "Robin Redbreast has her wish at last. It is raining hard."
Faster and faster the rain drops fell from the black clouds.
The ground was soon wet under the oak tree.
And Bunny was wet, too.
But he could not go home. He knew better than to leave the oak tree and skip out into the field.
So he curled himself up in a very tiny ball and waited for the shower to be over.
It grew lighter and lighter.
The wind stopped blowing, and at last Mr. Sun peeped out from behind the cloud.
He looked right down on Bunny, and laughed to see how he was rolled up in such a tiny ball.
"Cheer up, cheer up!" sang Robin Redbreast. "That was a fine rain. I am going to take a bath in that puddle of water."
Mr. Green Frog came out of his hole.
"Croak, croak!" he said. "That was a fine rain. I like to see the water running in the brook again."
[Ill.u.s.tration: "Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog.]
Bunny jumped up and shook himself.
He was just as wet as he could be.
His feet were wet. His back was wet. And his nice long ears were wet.
He jumped up and shook himself. Then he started off toward home.
On his way he met Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks.
They were going to the brook to have a swim.
"That was a fine rain," Mrs. Duck called to Bunny.
"Just see how the flowers hold up their heads."
But Bunny did not look at the flowers. He could not see why anything liked to be wet.
"That was a fine rain," said Mrs. Duck, again. "That was a fine rain."
"Perhaps it was," said Bunny. "But I like best to have the sun shine."
And then, without saying another word, Bunny hopped off home.