The Cloud That Needed Cuddles
The Cloud That Needed Cuddles — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
Glimmering crystals illuminated the cavern as Pip, a small, sprightly mushroom sprite, skipped ahead. "Hurry, Moss!" she called, her voice echoing through the tunnels. Moss, a lumbering earthworm with spectacles perched on his nose, struggled to keep up, his satchel bouncing against his side. "Wait for me, Pip! These tunnels are dreadfully uneven."
Page 2
"Look what I found!" Pip exclaimed, holding up a shimmering, opalescent scale. "It feels warm to the touch." Moss adjusted his spectacles. "Extraordinary! Scales like this are said to belong to the legendary Mood Dragons," he declared, examining it closely. "Legend says they reflect the feelings of the sky and can change their color to reflect any weather!"
Page 3
"A Mood Dragon?" Pip gasped. "Do you think that's what's making the Cloud so sad?" Moss sighed, pushing his spectacles up his nose. "Perhaps. We have to try. As the great Leonardo da Vinci once said, 'I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.' We must venture into the upper world and see if we can help it." Pip nodded resolutely, clutching the scale tightly.
Page 4
Reaching the surface, they gasped. Above them, a massive, grey cloud hung low, blotting out the sun. Great teardrops of rain fell upon the village, and the flowers drooped miserably. "Oh, the poor thing," Pip whispered. "It looks so forlorn." Moss frowned. "The village elder, Barnaby, might have some insight. Let's find him!"
Page 5
They found Barnaby, a wizened old gnome, tending to his garden with a watering can. "Ah, Pip, Moss," he said sadly, his voice raspy. "The Cloud has been weeping for days. It won't tell us why. I tried offering it sunshine, but that made it worse!" He pointed to a patch of withered sunflowers. "Did you know that sunflowers always turn their faces to the sun? But they're all drooping down because of the cloud's rain."
Page 6
"But what if it's not sadness making it cry?" Pip pondered aloud. Suddenly, the rain intensified. "What if it's\... loneliness?" Moss gasped. "Pip, you might be right!" Just then, a fierce gust of wind tore the scale from Pip's hands. It spiraled upwards, towards the weeping Cloud. "Oh no! The scale!"
Page 7
"We have to get it back!" Pip shouted over the howling wind. "But how? We can't fly!" Moss squinted upwards. "Wait! Barnaby, do you still have that old hot air balloon you used for the Harvest Festival?" Barnaby's eyes lit up. "The one made of stitched-together flower petals? Why, yes! It's in the shed!"
Page 8
Soon, they were soaring upwards in the flower-petal balloon, the wind whipping around them. Pip held tight to the ropes, her eyes fixed on the Cloud. "Here we go!" she yelled. As they neared the Cloud, Pip held out her hands. She willed the Cloud to feel her own warmth and friendship through the scale. And then, a miracle happened. The scale began to glow brighter. The Cloud shifted from grey to a soft, pearly white. A tiny ray of sunshine broke through. The scale glowed brilliantly as Pip shouted, "You're not alone!"
Page 9
The Cloud began to shrink, transforming into playful, fluffy shapes. The rain stopped, and the sun shone brightly upon the village. "It worked!" Moss cheered. Barnaby smiled, wiping a tear from his eye. "It just needed to know it wasn't alone," he said softly, as he looked up at the cloud.
Page 10
As they floated back down to earth, Pip smiled at Moss. "We did it!" she exclaimed. Moss adjusted his spectacles. "Indeed. And we learned that even the biggest, gloomiest clouds just need a little... friendship." Pip looked up at the sky. "It's true. And I think the Mood Dragons are happy too, so all is well!"
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)