Splash and the Grumpy Raincloud

Splash the Dolphin loved sunny days.

He loved jumping through sparkling waves, playing bubble games, and making his friends laugh.

But one morning, a tiny gray raincloud appeared above his head.

*Drip. Drip. Drip.*

Splash swam left.

The cloud followed.

He swam right.

The cloud followed.

He jumped high into the air.

The cloud followed!

“Hey!” Splash shouted. “You’re ruining my happy day!”

The cloud rumbled.

“GRRRRUMBLE!”

Splash tried everything to make it go away.

He told a joke.

Nothing.

He made a silly face.

Nothing.

He even performed his famous triple-flip belly flop.

*SPLAAAAASH!*

Still, the cloud kept raining.

Finally, Splash stopped swimming.

“Why won’t you leave me alone?” he asked.

The little cloud sniffled.

“Because… I’m sad.”

Splash blinked.

“You’re sad?”

“Everyone wants sunny skies,” the cloud whispered. “Nobody likes rain.”

Splash thought for a moment.

Then he smiled.

“Well, maybe you don’t have to be sunny to be special.”

The cloud looked surprised.

Splash pointed toward the shore.

“Look!”

Tiny flowers were lifting their heads toward the falling rain.

A thirsty turtle was drinking from a puddle.

And a beautiful rainbow was beginning to stretch across the sky.

“Your rain helped all of them!” Splash exclaimed.

The cloud smiled a tiny smile.

“Really?”

“Really!”

The cloud began to float a little higher.

Splash jumped through the waves, laughing as raindrops sparkled around him.

And for the first time, he realized something wonderful.

Happiness didn’t mean every day had to be perfect.

Sometimes happiness came from finding something good in an unexpected moment.

Splash’s lesson: It’s okay to feel sad sometimes. Happiness can grow when we appreciate little things and show kindness to others.

Think About It: What is one small thing that made you smile today?