THE CLOUD

: Stories To Tell Children

One hot summer morning a little Cloud rose out of the sea and floated

lightly and happily across the blue sky. Far below lay the earth, brown,

dry, and desolate, from drought. The little Cloud could see the poor

people of the earth working and suffering in the hot fields, while she

herself floated on the morning breeze, hither and thither, without a

care.



"Oh, if I could only help the poor people down the e!" she thought. "If

I could but make their work easier, or give the hungry ones food, or the

thirsty a drink!"



And as the day passed, and the Cloud became larger, this wish to do

something for the people of earth was ever greater in her heart.



On earth it grew hotter and hotter; the sun burned down so fiercely that

the people were fainting in its rays; it seemed as if they must die of

heat, and yet they were obliged to go on with their work, for they were

very poor. Sometimes they stood and looked up at the Cloud, as if they

were praying, and saying, "Ah, if you could help us!"



"I will help you; I will!" said the Cloud. And she began to sink softly

down toward the earth.



But suddenly, as she floated down, she remembered something which had

been told her when she was a tiny Cloud-child, in the lap of Mother

Ocean: it had been whispered that if the Clouds go too near the earth

they die. When she remembered this she held herself from sinking, and

swayed here and there on the breeze, thinking,--thinking. But at last

she stood quite still, and spoke boldly and proudly. She said, "Men of

earth, I will help you, come what may!"



The thought made her suddenly marvellously big and strong and powerful.

Never had she dreamed that she could be so big. Like a mighty angel of

blessing she stood above the earth, and lifted her head and spread her

wings far over the fields and woods. She was so great, so majestic, that

men and animals were awe-struck at the sight; the trees and the grasses

bowed before her; yet all the earth-creatures felt that she meant them

well.



"Yes, I will help you," cried the Cloud once more. "Take me to

yourselves; I will give my life for you!"



As she said the words a wonderful light glowed from her heart, the sound

of thunder rolled through the sky, and a love greater than words can

tell filled the Cloud; down, down, close to the earth she swept, and

gave up her life in a blessed, healing shower of rain.



That rain was the Cloud's great deed; it was her death, too; but it was

also her glory. Over the whole country-side, as far as the rain fell, a

lovely rainbow sprang its arch, and all the brightest rays of heaven

made its colours; it was the last greeting of a love so great that it

sacrificed itself.



Soon that, too, was gone, but long, long afterward the men and animals

who were saved by the Cloud kept her blessing in their hearts.