Up above us, near the Sky Country, in a place called Cloudland, live a
great many little people, called raindrops. They are very helpful,
and always try to do their best, because they know the great King of
Cloudland has work for them all. One morning two tiny raindrops were
sitting together looking down at Earthdom. "How dusty and hot everything
looks," said one drop. "Yes," replied the other, "let us go down and
see how much good we can do in Earthdom to-day." So these two little
raindrops called their brothers and sisters and told of their plan, and
asked them to go, too, for they always wanted to share their good time
with others. "Let's have a game of tag, and see who will reach the top
of that hill first," said one little drop, and away they scampered. They
ran so fast that they reached Earthdom at about the same time, and how
glad Mother Nature was to see them. Some of them went at once to
visit the flowers, and whispered such sweet words to the tired, dusty
blossoms, that they raised their heads again, and thanked the raindrops
for the comfort they had brought. Some of them slid down the slanting
roofs of houses and filled the wells. Our two little raindrops with five
others, went down into the brown earth and cheered up the roots. Then
they travelled on, and by and by they came out again further down the
hill, and made a beautiful spring, around which little children
played. The spring soon helped make a brook, that flowed down over the
hillsides, winding in and out among the rocks, washing them smooth and
round, singing as it rippled on its way.
By and by it met some more brooks and they made a stream. The sunbeams
loved the clear stream and danced to and fro over its surface, as it
rushed joyously onward, turning the busy mill wheels, and keeping the
grass and flowers alive and beautiful. Sometimes weary travellers walked
along its banks, and stooped and quenched their thirst with its pure,
cool water. While the stream journeyed on, it met other streams and they
made a rivulet, and by and by the rivulet heard a low voice calling,
"Come with me and I will show you the mightiest of waters." So the
rivulet joined the river, and together they travelled on till they heard
the deep voice of the ocean welcoming them to its cave.
Where were the little raindrops that left Cloudland early in the
morning? They were playing among the ocean waves, and helping to rock
the ships that sailed over the waters. At sunset a vapor-boat carried
the drops back home and in the eastern sky they stood with robes of red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, and made a bright bow
of promise.
As they looked down upon Earthdom once more, everything was fresh, and
sweet, and glad, because the little raindrops had done so much to help
others, and had left no part of their work undone. The night shadows
came, and the rainbow faded slowly away, leaving a message for the
children of Earthdom. "Do your best, little children, and big children,
too, for God has work for all."