Chapter I

"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast.

"Rain, rain, rain! I wish it would rain."

The pretty flowers heard the robin calling for rain.

They lifted up their heads and listened.

They were wishing it would rain, too. The ground was so dry they could not find a drop of water to drink.

Mr. Green Frog wished it would rain.

The brook was almost dry, and he did not like that very well.

"Rain, rain, rain!" Robin Redbreast called again.

"Don't call for rain," said Bunny Rabbit. "I like to have the sun shine all the time."

"So do I," said Sammy Red Squirrel. "I do not like to have it rain on my fur coat."

"See how the flowers hang down their heads," said the robin.

"I am sure they would like to have a drink of fresh water."

"The flowers are sleepy," said Bunny. "That is why they hang their heads."

"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Come, children, we will go down to the brook."

The duck and all the little ducks waddled across the road and into the meadow.

Bunny saw them coming and hopped over to meet them.

"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," he said. "Where are you going?"

"We are going to the brook to have a swim," said the duck. "Will you come with us??

"No, no!" answered Bunny. "I can not swim. You did not teach me."

"Perhaps I could teach you this morning," said the duck. "There is not much water in the brook to-day."

"I don't want to learn to swim," answered Bunny, and he hopped off to find Bobtail.

But he could not find Bobtail, and he could not find Billy.

So at last Bunny sat down under the oak tree to take a nap.

Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path until they came to the brook.

It was just a very tiny brook, now. It was really nothing but mud.

"Oh, dear me!" said Mrs. Duck "I wish it would rain to-day."

"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. "I wish it would rain."

"I think it will rain," said Mr. Green Frog. "And I think it will rain to-day."

Mrs. Duck let the little ducks play in the muddy brook.

They pushed their flat bills into the mud to find something to eat.

Their little yellow feet were black with mud, but they liked it.

Mr. Sun looked down and smiled at them. He smiled his brightest smile.

Then a cloud came and hid the sun.

A gentle wind began to blow over the tall grass in the field.

"Bow your heads!" the wind said to the flowers and grass.

Then the wind puffed out its cheeks and blew harder.

It rushed along to the woods.

"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.