Living Arts Weekly: A Rainy Day Story

June 6, 2021

Woodland Rain

A story and a song
by Jaimmie Stugard, Director of LifeWays Early Childhood Center in Milwaukee, WI

It was a cool, early spring day. All of the woodland creatures were out at play. Mother bunny led her little
baby bunnies – hippity, hoppity, hippity, hoppity – through the wood. While down in the clearing, papa turtle
guided his little baby turtles – slowly, slowly – toward the riverside.
Deep in the river, a family of geese was wading in the water – honk, honk, splash, splash, honk, honk, splash,
splash. A little ways downstream, mother duck was followed by a tidy little row of ducklings. Every now and
then, mother duck peered her head down into the water, fishing for something for tasty for her ducklings to
eat.
While high up above, a woodpecker could be heard – peck, peck, pecking – at the trees. Down below, the
clever gnome worked diligently, tidying his gnome home. Sweeping and mopping, dusting and washing,
scrubbing and scrubbing, all through the day. While deep in the wood, the fairies were dancing in a ring.
Beautiful songs of spring they did sing – tralalalala.

Just then, Brother Wind blew –whooo- and grey clouds covered the sky. Suddenly, the littlest bunny felt
something funny – Drip. Drip, drop. Drip, drop, plip, plop. Drip, drop, plip, plop, plop, plop. And the rain
came tumbling down. Quickly, mother bunny led her little baby bunnies to the safety of an evergreen bush.
The earth below the bush was nice and dry. The bunnies snuggled together and watched the rain as it fell from
the sky. They could feel their mother’s soft, warm fur. They could hear her heart beating and the rain falling. It
was all so very soothing, that soon the bunnies were all a-snoozing.
Meanwhile, papa turtle showed his little baby turtles how to tuck their head, feet and tails inside their little
shells – their take-along shelters. The turtles could hear the rain tapping at their rooftops – tip, tip, tap, tap, tip,
tip, tap, tap. Inside each shell was warm, dark and dry. So, the little turtles rested and closed their eyes.

While down by the riverside, mother goose and father gander rested in their nest with their sleepy little
goslings tucked under their warm, waterproof wings. On the other bank, mother duck kept her drowsy
ducklings cozy and dry. She watched the rain ripple on the river. And then she, too, closed her eyes.
High up above, the woodpecker stood beneath a branch that was just the right size to keep him dry. He
watched the rain as it fell from the sky. All else was still in the wood below him. So, the woodpecker closed his
eyes, tucked his beak to his chest and took a moment’s rest.
Down below, the clever gnome had finished tidying his gnome home. He sat in his favorite, comfortable chair
by the warm fire and admired his tidy home, content with a job well done. Then the little gnome dozed as he
listened to rain tapping on his windowpane.

While deep in the wood, the fairies snuggled together underneath the May apples, the umbrella trees. The
wide leaves drank the rain as it fell from the sky, leaving the earth below nice and dry. All that could be heard
was the sound of the fairies snoring and the rain falling. Indeed, it was as if the entire wood was sound asleep
while the rain fell from the sky and Mother Earth seemed to sing a sweet lullaby.

All the rain is falling down. Hear the rain falling down.
All the rain is falling down. Hear the rain falling down.
We all lie snuggling in our shelter. Feel the safety of our shelter.
We all lie snuggling in our shelter. Feel the safety of our shelter.