76 THE RAINBOW

Two little clouds one summer day

Went floating through the sky;

They went so fast they bumped their heads,

And both began to cry.

Old Father Sun looked down and said,

“Oh, never mind, my dears;

I'll send my little fairy folks

To dry your falling tears! ”

One fairy came in red so fine,

And one in orange bright;

Then yellow, green, blue, violet

Were all at once in sight.

They wiped the cloud tears all away,

And then from out the sky,

Upon a line the sunbeams made,

They hung their gowns to dry.

(Lizzie M. Hadley)

Word list

sunbeams: rays of sunlight

gowns: loosely flowing outer garments

You Practice

Answer the following questions.

1) In the poem, why are the clouds crying?

2) Who helped the clouds?

3) What colour were the “fairy folks”?

4) Can you think of something you sometimes see in the sky that is the same colour as the “fairy folks”?

5) Do you like this poem? Why or why not?