Little Cloud and the Raindrop That Kept Its Promise

Little Cloud on the Mountain Peak

At the top of a green mountain, where the wind often stopped by to play and swallows flew in circles, there was a small cloud named Little Cloud. Little Cloud was soft and white as cotton, round and plump, and always loved drifting along with new currents of wind.

Every morning, when the sun had just risen above the mountain range in the east, Little Cloud would look at its reflection in the lake. There, you could see a tiny cloud puffing out its cheeks, sometimes stretching out like a rabbit, and sometimes curling up like a steamed bun. Little Cloud loved changing shape, but it also had a habit that sometimes saddened its friends in the forest. It was very quick to make promises and just as quick to forget them.

One day, Brown Squirrel asked Little Cloud to watch over a basket of chestnuts while Squirrel went to find a sturdy branch to repair the roof of its house. Little Cloud happily agreed. But a short while later, the South Wind blew by and invited Little Cloud to chase the golden leaves dancing through the air. Little Cloud became so absorbed in playing that it forgot its promise. When Brown Squirrel returned, a flock of birds had swooped down and scattered the chestnuts everywhere.

“It’s all right. I’ll gather them again,” said Brown Squirrel, although its voice did not sound very cheerful.

Little Cloud lowered itself, its small edges trembling. It wanted to apologize, but then told itself that it would do better the next day.

A few days later, Gray Hedgehog asked Little Cloud to tell the others when it was time to clean the path leading to the stream. Little Cloud agreed again. But while flying over the valley, it saw a group of butterflies chasing one another around purple flowers. Little Cloud stopped to watch them for a long time, and by the time it remembered what it needed to do, the sun was almost setting. The next morning, the path was still covered with dry leaves and broken branches, making it very difficult for the little animals to walk to the stream to fetch water.

Gray Hedgehog did not scold Little Cloud. It simply said gently:

“A promise is like a seed. If it is cared for, it will grow into a tree that gives shade to others. If it is forgotten, it will remain in the earth and never sprout.”

Little Cloud listened but did not truly understand. To it, promises were merely words carried by the wind. Once they had been spoken, perhaps no one would remember them after the wind blew them away.

A Request by the Stream

At the end of summer, sunlight spread golden across the entire forest. The stream that had once gurgled day and night was now only a thin ribbon of water winding between the stones. The young trees began to droop their leaves. White Rabbit’s vegetable beds became hard and dry. The birds could not find enough water to cool themselves in a bath.

In the middle of the forest stood a bluebell plant. This flower bloomed only once a year, on the very first full-moon night after a long stretch of hot days. The bluebell was not only beautiful but also gave off a cool, gentle fragrance that helped the animals sleep and allowed the young trees to keep their vitality through the dry season.

But for the bluebell to bloom, a raindrop had to fall right into the center of its blossom on the night of the full moon. If the raindrop came too early, the flower, not yet open, would not be able to receive it. If the raindrop came too late, the petals would already have closed, and the entire forest would have to wait another year.

The friends in the forest looked up at the sky. In the distance, there were only a few thin clouds. Little Cloud was the cloud closest to the bluebell.

White Rabbit stepped to the foot of the mountain and called upward:

“Little Cloud, could you help us bring a raindrop to the bluebell on the night of the full moon?”

Little Cloud looked down at the forest. It saw the thirsty leaves, the exhausted birds, and the bluebell trying to protect each of its tiny buds. This time, Little Cloud did not answer right away. It remembered Brown Squirrel’s basket of chestnuts, Gray Hedgehog’s leaf-covered path, and the sadness in its friends’ eyes.

“I’ll do my best,” said Little Cloud.

Gray Hedgehog shook its head and smiled:

“If you are not sure, you do not need to promise. But if you have agreed, do your very best to do what you said.”

Little Cloud looked at the bluebell for a long time and then replied:

“I promise to bring a raindrop to the flower on the night of the full moon.”

The Journey to Keep a Promise

From that day on, Little Cloud began to prepare. It flew higher than usual to find a place with enough moisture. Little Cloud learned how to gather tiny drops of water from the air and hold them inside itself. The task was more difficult than it had imagined. As soon as the West Wind blew strongly, the drops scattered in every direction.

Seeing Little Cloud struggling, the West Wind asked:

“What are you doing instead of coming to play with us?”

“I’m keeping a raindrop for the bluebell,” Little Cloud replied.

The West Wind laughed loudly:

“It’s only one raindrop. If you forget, no one will know.”

Little Cloud fell silent. Those words sounded very familiar. In the past, it had thought the same way. A small promise and a small task—if they were ignored, surely nothing serious would happen. But then Little Cloud remembered Brown Squirrel having to gather the chestnuts alone and remembered its friends having to walk along the path filled with broken branches. The small things that had been forgotten had made others work harder.

“A raindrop may be small,” said Little Cloud, “but the flower is waiting for it.”

The West Wind stopped laughing. It flew around Little Cloud, gently helping it gather moisture from distant valleys. By afternoon, a perfectly round, crystal-clear drop of water had formed inside Little Cloud.

However, there were still two days before the full-moon night. Little Cloud had to protect the drop very carefully. It did not dare fly too quickly, let the sunlight shine directly on it, or fall asleep.

On the first night, Little Cloud heard a nestling crying in its nest. A cold wind blew past, making Little Cloud want to fly over and shelter it. But if it left its position, the drop of water might fall. Little Cloud called Mother Sparrow and asked for help. Mother Sparrow thanked it and used her little wings to keep her babies warm.

On the second night, Little Cloud saw a large cloud drifting toward the forest. That cloud could bring a very heavy rain, but if the rain fell too early, the bluebell would have no raindrop left especially for the full-moon night. Little Cloud flew over and told the large cloud about its promise. The large cloud understood and immediately changed direction, flying toward the distant fields, where the earth was cracked and in greater need of rain.

The Full-Moon Night

At last, the full-moon night arrived. The moon hung high above the treetops, casting silver light over the forest. The bluebell slowly opened its first petals. A gentle fragrance spread through the air, but the flower’s center was still closed.

Little Cloud flew over very slowly. The drop of water inside it sparkled beneath the moonlight. There was only a short distance left to the flower when, suddenly, an unexpected gust of wind swept in. Little Cloud rocked unsteadily. The drop slipped from its place and rolled toward the edge of the cloud.

“Don’t fall!” Little Cloud cried anxiously.

It immediately drew itself into a small circle, using its entire cloudy body to shield the drop. The wind blew so hard that Little Cloud was pushed backward. It felt itself growing thinner, its wisps separating as though they were about to dissolve into the sky. But Little Cloud continued to hold tightly to the drop.

Below, the friends in the forest looked up anxiously. Brown Squirrel ran around the base of the tree, Gray Hedgehog clasped its front paws together, and White Rabbit called out loudly:

“Little Cloud, you can do it!”

Their voices rose into the sky and became a warm source of strength. Little Cloud remembered that it was not only holding a drop of water. It was holding the hopes of the entire forest.

The wind gradually grew gentler. Little Cloud regained its balance and flew above the bluebell. It tilted itself very carefully. The drop of water fell and touched the exact center of the flower.

Immediately, the bluebell trembled. Its blue petals opened wide, welcoming the moonlight and releasing a fresh, soothing fragrance. The entire forest seemed to be covered in a layer of gentle mist. The young trees lifted their leaves, the birds returned peacefully to their nests, and the stream at the foot of the mountain began to gurgle with a clear, sparkling sound.

What Little Cloud Understood

The next morning, Little Cloud flew lower to meet its friends. It did not wait to be praised or tell anyone how difficult the task had been. Little Cloud simply went to Brown Squirrel and said:

“I’m sorry that I forgot to watch over your basket of chestnuts last time. Back then, I thought it was a small task, but you had to do it all over again by yourself.”

Brown Squirrel smiled:

“Now you understand. Everyone can make mistakes. What matters is knowing how to admit them and trying to change.”

Little Cloud also apologized to Gray Hedgehog for forgetting to announce the time to clean the path. From then on, before agreeing to help anyone, it always thought about whether it could really do it. Once Little Cloud agreed, it kept the task in mind and completed it before going out to play.

One day, the South Wind invited Little Cloud to fly to the valley and admire the golden leaves again. Little Cloud looked at the leaves spinning through the air and really wanted to go along. But that day, it had promised to help Mother Sparrow carry dry grass back to repair the nest.

“I’ll go after I finish the task,” said Little Cloud.

The South Wind smiled:

“Then we’ll wait for you.”

That afternoon, Little Cloud kept its promise and only then flew to the valley. The leaves were still there, the sky was still wide, and the fun was still complete. Little Cloud realized that keeping a promise did not make joy disappear. On the contrary, after finishing what needed to be done, it could enjoy itself with a lighter heart.

From then on, whenever a little friend in the forest needed help, Little Cloud no longer made promises hastily. It listened carefully, thought things through, and only then answered. And once a promise had been spoken, Little Cloud treasured it as carefully as a clear raindrop, patiently carrying it to the place where it was awaited.

On the mountain peak, the wind still blew and the clouds still drifted, but Little Cloud no longer drifted along with every invitation. It knew how to choose what mattered and understood that a promise, no matter how small, could bring shade, joy, or hope to someone else.