Editor's note: A rhythmic read-aloud tale relates how Ki-pat ingeniously brings rain to the dying grasses of the arid Kapiti Plain.
This is the cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This is the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
These are the cows,
all hungry and dry,
Who mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This is Ki-pat,
who watched his herd
As he stood on one leg,
like the big stork bird;
Ki-pat, whose cows
were so hungry and dry,
They mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This is the eagle
who dropped a feather,
A feather that helped
to change the weather.
It fell near Ki-pat,
who watched his herd
As he stood on one leg,
like the big stork bird;
Ki-pat, whose cows
were so hungry and dry,
They mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This is the arrow
Ki-pat put together,
With a slender stick
and an eagle feather;
From the eagle who happened
to drop a feather,
A feather that helped
to change the weather.
It fell near Ki-pat,
who watched his herd
As he stood on one leg,
like the big stork bird;
Ki-pat, whose cows
were so hungry and dry,
They mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This is the bow,
so long and strong,
And strung with a string,
a leather thong;
A bow for the arrow
Ki-pat put together,
With a slender stick
and an eagle feather;
From the eagle who happened
to drop a feather,
A feather that helped
to change the weather.
It fell near Ki-pat,
who watched his herd
As he stood on one leg,
like the big stork bird;
Ki-pat, whose cows
were so hungry and dry,
They mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
This was the shot
pTC that pierced the cloud
And loosed the rain
with thunder LOUD!
A shot from the bow,
so long and strong,
And strung with a string,
a leather thong;
A bow for the arrow
Ki-pat put together,
With a slender stick
and an eagle feather;
From the eagle who happened
to drop a feather,
A feather that helped
to change the weather.
It fell near Ki-pat,
who watched his herd
As he stood on one leg,
like the big stork bird;
Ki-pat, whose cows
were so hungry and dry,
They mooed for the rain
to fall from the sky;
To green-up the grass,
all brown and dead,
That needed the rain
from the cloud overhead -
The big, black cloud,
all heavy with rain,
That shadowed the ground
on Kapiti Plain.
So the grass grew green,
and the cattle fat!
BRINGING THE RAIN TO KAPITI PLAIN by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal. Text copyright 1981 by Verna Aardema. Illustrations copyright 1981 by Beatriz Vidal. Reprinted by arrangement with Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.
Pub Date: 9/13/98