"I wish we"d have some rain," said the "rusty, dusty" Miller, coming to the door of the Old Mill. It almost seemed as if he were speaking to Billy Breeze.
"You"ll get rain pretty soon," he answered, but I guess the Miller didn"t hear him, for he turned around and went inside.
By and by the rain-clouds came tumbling across the sky, as Billy Breeze pushed them headlong over one another. Mr. Merry Sun saw them coming, and hurried over to the west. But it wasn"t any use. Billy Breeze drove them on so fast that in a little while Mr. Merry Sun was shut in altogether. The bright blue sky grew gray and the leaves began to whisper:
"It"s going to rain! It"s going to rain!"
And the gra.s.s rippled in the Sunny Meadow and murmured:
"It"s going to rain! It"s going to rain!"
Everybody seemed glad except, perhaps, Mr. Merry Sun. But I don"t believe he minded it. He must have known that rain is just as needful as sunshine.
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter! Yes, the raindrops were falling. Chippy Chipmunk scurried into his little house and Granddaddy Bullfrog chuckled as he crawled under a sheltering leaf.
Little Jack Rabbit hopped swiftly over to the Old Bramble Patch and the Farmer"s Boy turned up his collar and ran out of the Shady Forest where he had been gathering nuts.
"You"re a good little boy to get home in time," said Mrs. Rabbit as her little bunny popped into the kitchen door, and the little canary bird began to sing:
"Pitter, patter, goes the rain, Making music on the pane.
Draw the shades and light the lamp-- Never mind the evening damp.
Wind the clock, make fast the latch Of the dear Old Bramble Patch."
THE END