Old grandmother Wind has come from the East.
She's ridden a donkey—a dear little beast.
Old mother-in-law Rain has come back again.
She's come from the North on a horse, it is plain.

Old grandmother Snow is coming you know,
From the West on a crane—just see how they go.
And old aunty Lightning has come from the South,
On a big yellow dog with a bit in his mouth.

"There is no grandmother Wind, is there, nurse?"

"No, of course not, people only call her grandmother Wind."

"Why do they call the other mother-in-law Rain?"

"I suppose, because mothers-in-law are often disagreeable, just like rainy weather."

"And why do they speak of snow and the crane, and lightning and a yellow dog?"

"I suppose, because a crane is somewhat the color of snow, and a yellow dog swift and the color of lightning."

CHILDREN AND CHILD-LIFE