Now the VOA Special English program "American Stories".
Our story today is called “Rainbabies”, it was written by LauraKrauss Melmed. Here is Barbara Klein with the story.
An old woman and her husband lived in a small house in a greenfield.
They had plenty of food and a good roof over their heads. And a riverran close to their door, but the thing they wanted most was the thingthey lacked, a child to call their own.
One spring night, the couple was asleep when a broad ribbon of whitelight slid across the old woman’s pillow. Her eyes flew open. Shecould hear the steady rainfall on the rooftop. Yet, her eyes met thewhite face of the full moon, looking through her window. The old womanshook her husband.
“Wake up, old man. I have heard that the moon shower brings good luckto everyone it touches.”
The old man rose and followed his wife outside. She was surprised atwhat she saw in the wet grass. There were 12 shiny drops of water,each holding a tiny baby no larger than her big toe. Very carefully,the couple gathered up the small babies and brought them into thehouse.
The woman dried them gently and sat them on a soft cloth on thekitchen table. There were 12 perfect little ones, all in a row. Theold couple smiled and cooled until the babies began to yawn and rubtheir eyes with tiny fists. Then, the woman wrapped the rainbabies inpieces of cloth and laid them to sleep in a drawer.
Day after day, the old couple cared for the rainbabies. When they weretired or wanted to be held, they cried out in tiny voices and reachedup with their little arms. Then the old man and woman held therainbabies in the palms of their hands, or they rocked them to sleepin a pair of wooden shoes. The old man and woman would carry thebabies in a straw basket as they went about their work.
One morning, the family set out in their wooden boat with fishingpoles to catch some supper. The woman placed the basket at her feet inthe boat. The rainbabies soon fell asleep because of the gentle rollof the river, but suddenly the river became wild. A mighty wave roseup and over the side of the boat. Before the old man and old womancould stop it, the basket of babies was swept out of the boat. The oldman jumped into the river. Round and round, he swam trying to reachthe basket. The old woman threw him a fishing pole, so he could catchthe handle of the basket. As he lifted the basket from the water, theriver immediately became calm. The couple hugged each other and rowedhome, forgetting about catching fish.
(Music)A few days later, the wind began to blow above their fields.
“The peaches have ripened, and should be picked, wife,”said the oldman, “let us gather them now before the wind does our work for us.”
So the old woman carried the basket of babies to the orchard where thepeach trees grew. The old man climbed a ladder, picked a peach andhanded it to his wife.
Suddenly, the sky turned dark, a crash of thunder sounded as a bolt oflightning struck the ground close to the basket where the rainbabiesslept. Flames quickly surrounded the basket in a perfect ring of fire.
The woman tore off her apron and tried to beat out the fire with thecloth. But as soon as she put out the flames they rose again. So theold man leapt across the barrier of fire and seized the basket. As hehanded the basket to his wife, a sudden rush of cool rain put out thefire. The rainbabies were unharmed.
The next day the sky was blue and clear, the husband went early to theriver to fish. The wife went to work in the vegetable garden. She putthe basket of babies on a blanket in a shade of a chestnut tree. Ananimal called a weasel saw the silvery pink babies and thought theywere weasel babies. The weasel came closer, but the babies sensingdanger cried out. The old woman came running still holding a turnipfreshly dug from the earth. She reached the blanket just in time tosee the weasel ran off with a tiny rainbaby hanging from its mouth.
The old woman ran after them, putting the turnip in her pocket. Thewoman and the weasel ran around and around the fields. Finally, shecould run no more. Then, she remembered the turnip in her pocket. Shetossed it over the weasel's head, hitting the ground in front of thesurprised animal; the weasel dropped the frightened rainbaby and ranoff. The old woman grabbed the baby and returned to find the otherssafely in their basket.
(Music)That night after supper the old couple sat sleepily by the fire. Therainbabies slept soundly in their drawer. A loud knock awakened theold man. As he pulled the door open. A cold rain rushed into thekitchen, almost sweeping him from his feet. A tall stranger wrapped ina heavy coat came into the house. Then, the stranger threw off hishood. He was a handsome young man. His hat posed securely over hishair. He walked across the room and placed on the table a basket wovenfrom silver. The old woman asked:
“Who are you?”
“I am a messenger, sent by Lady Curd Declair, a woman of extremeriches.” said the young man.
He pulled something from his coat. It was a shiny white jewel stone ona silver chain. The stone was the size and shape of a hen’s egg. Thecouple stared.
“My lady has huge wealth,” continued the messenger, “but in onething she is poor, she has been blessed with neither sons nordaughters and she wants these more than anything else. Therefore, sheoffers you this precious moonstone in exchange for the 12 babies. Giveher the babies and leave your remaining days in comfort and riches,for the moonstone is worth many bags of gold.”
The old woman moved closer to the sleeping rainbabies.
“Thank you,” she said, “but the babies will stay with us.”
The old man put his arm around her shoulder.
“So be it.” said the young man. He slipped the silver chain over hishead. No sooner had the moonstone touched his chest then the coat andhat fell away and in his place appeared a woman of great beauty.
“My dear old man and woman,” she said, “I am Mother Moonshower onthe night of the last full moon. I gave my rainbabies into your care.
What loving caretakers you have been. You protected them from thedangers of water, fire and earth. You refused the offer of greatriches to keep the babies with you. You have proven yourselves theworthiest of parents, but now I have come to take the rainbabies awaywith me.
“You must not,” the old woman cried.
“Please understand,” said Mother Moonshower, “the rainbabies cannotgrow properly without me. I will love them as you did and do not fear,I will not leave you lonely. See what I have brought for you.”
They went to the table and lifted the cover of the silver basket.
Inside, was the most beautiful baby girl the old couple had ever seen.
As the old man lifted the little girl in his arms, Mother Moonshowerput the rainbabies into the silver basket.
“Wait!” cried the old woman. She bent over the basket, touching herlips softly to the forehead of each sleeping rainbaby. Each one smiledin turn without waking. As the woman kissed the last tiny head, MotherMoonshower and the rainbabies disappeared.
The old man and woman named their daughter Raina. Like all children,she brought her parents great joy. She brought them some heartache,too, but never such adventures as the rainbabies. Raina grew strongerand more lovely with each passing year. She picked the sweetestpeaches from the orchard and caught the fastest fish. Her laughterwarmed the small house. Some nights when the full moon shone, thecouple stood at the window. They watched their daughter dancinggracefully across the moon-lit field. Her hair floating in the softair and the old couple felt themselves truly lucky for their happinesswas complete.
You have heard the American children story "Rainbabies” by LauraKrauss Melmed. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. The producer wasLawan Davis. This story was adapted for Special English by KarenLeggett with permission from a copyrighted book.
Listen again next week for another American Story in Special Englishon the Voice of America. This is Bob Doughty. |