“There, Mrs. Duck,” clucked the hen, “see how I have helped Rose and at the same time got a nice breakfast for myself.”

At once the rose looked up toward the sun and smiled. Thereupon the sun began to shine.

“If I had only thought,” said the sun, “I might have burned that worm with my hot rays.”

“And I might have blown him away,” whistled the wind, springing up suddenly.

“If I had only thought,” sang the bird, “I might have had a nice fat worm for breakfast.”

“And so might I,” quacked the duck as she waddled away toward the pond.

The oak tree shook down a great shower of acorns, and the squirrel hastened to gather them. They, too, wished they had thought of some way to help Rose.