But there were others there, too, and so they began to travel under ground until one day they came out from the side of a hill, and splash! the little drop of water was back in the very spring from which it started!
“Why, what a journey I have had!” exclaimed the drop. “I should like to do that again,” and straightway started on its way down the brook. And to this day the little drops of water go down the brooks, and out to sea, and up in the clouds, and down like rain, and they do that over and over again.
HOW WE CAME TO HAVE UMBRELLAS
It is a wise man that makes provisions against a rainy day.
One morning in April a wee brownie started out for a walk. It was a beautiful day and there was not a cloud in the sky. He put on a brown jerkin and brown breeches, and brown pointed shoes, and a little brown pointed cap, as all brownies should. His clothing was all new and fresh. He carried his basket over his arm, for he had a bit of marketing to do by the way. He skipped along as merry as any brownie could be on a bright, sunny morning in April.
He bought a jar of honey from a wandering bee, and a jar of butter at the buttercup shop. He drank some milk that he got from a milk weed, and then lay down to rest a bit. By and by a squirrel came along and said, “You had better hurry home. It is going to rain.” But the brownie looked at the sky and laughed at the squirrel. By and by a butterfly flew by and said, “You had better hurry home. It is going to rain.” But the brownie laughed again and paid no attention to the butterfly.
When it was time to go home, the brownie started across the fields when he felt a drop on his face. “Bless me! what’s that?” said the brownie. The sunny April day had changed to a showery April day, and it was raining. It is quite bad enough to be a little child out of doors when it is raining, but think of a tiny little brownie with fresh new clothes, and every raindrop as full as a bucket!
He crept under the tallest blades of grass and tried to cover himself, but it was no use. The raindrops fell thicker and faster, and he became more drenched every minute.