How Little Mouse Sukhrik Caught a Cloud

Once upon a time there lived a little mouse named Sukhrik. His mother, Mrs Mouse, had given him this name because he loved to gnaw on everything crunchy with his sharp little teeth. They lived in the forest, in a small burrow. The little mouse would wake up in the mornings and run off to explore the forest. He loved to gather a little bouquet of beautiful purple bluebells for his beloved mother.

One hot summer's day, Sukhrik scampered out of his little home and ran to his meadow to collect bluebells. He scurried along the forest paths on his tiny paws and arrived at his cherished clearing. He looked around and became very upset.... There wasn't a single flower on the meadow, not a single berry....

The little mouse became very sad, as he had dreamed of giving his mother a bouquet of her favourite flowers and gathering ripe strawberries to make fragrant jam for the winter.

Why hadn't the bluebells grown in the meadow?

Sukhrik pondered this and, in a gloomy mood, set off to visit his acquaintance, a green frog.

Froggy lived on a white water lily leaf in the lake and was delighted that Sukhrik had come to see her.

Oh, how hot it is today! Such a stuffy day!

Croaked Froggy.

Yes – it's a scorching summer! I was at my favourite meadow, wanted to gather some juicy berries and pick a few purple bluebells for Mother Mouse.

Squeaked the little mouse.

Croak-croak! There's been no rain for ages – that's why the flowers and berries haven't grown. All plants love water.

Croaked the Frog.

Ah, that's the problem! You're right, it's been a whole two weeks without rain. Where has it gone? Why hasn't there been rain for so long?

The little mouse wondered.

Who knows? But there's no rain without a cloud. The wind pushes clouds across the earth, and they pour life-giving moisture called 'rain' onto it.

The Frog observed wisely, as she too was unhappy that there had been no rain for so long.

Aha, I understand! To have rain, you need a cloud. I must get my own cloud so that it rains whenever I need it to. I'll catch it in the sky and put it in my favourite blue bucket! I'll release the cloud over the meadow, it will rain on the soil and purple bluebells will grow for my mother and lots and lots of juicy strawberries.

And Sukhrik imagined himself giving his mother a bouquet of flowers and a basket of fragrant berries. But the rain still didn't come. The little mouse sat on a stone and came up with an idea.

Sukhrik took a net and a bucket and set off to catch a cloud. But no matter how high he swung, he couldn't manage to catch the cloud. The little mouse jumped high, climbed up a tall hill, even tried to climb a ladder to reach the sky.

Are you catching butterflies?

Asked the frog.

No, I'm trying to catch a cloud in the sky. I'll put it in a bucket and whenever I need to, I'll release it over the meadow where the purple bluebells grow.

That's a clever idea! Only, no one has ever managed to catch a cloud.

Said Froggy.

Well, I'll be the first.

Declared Sukhrik.

And he continued with his difficult task. All evening long the little mouse chased after the cloud. But he couldn't manage to catch it.

Upset, the little mouse returned home, wished his mother a good night and went to bed himself. He decided he would continue his important task tomorrow.

But suddenly, during the night, the long-awaited heavy rain began, and within a week, the entire meadow was overgrown with colourful flowers and fragrant berries. Sukhrik took a small basket and ran off to gather a bouquet of purple bluebells and juicy, fragrant strawberries for his beloved mother.