Rosie's Umbrella - a lyttlejoe Tale

Chapter 1

Chosen for Wattpad Children's Fiction Ages 2 - 4 English Stories

Rosie loved the rain. Her favourite time was sitting on the window ledge of her front room porch when it was pouring outside and imagining the trail of raindrops on the panes were racing one another to the bottom of the frame. Particularly, she enjoyed the way they twisted and turned as though around obstacles only they could see, instead of running straight down the glass.

Rosie would laugh aloud with glee when her favourite won, disappearing along the edge of the wooden frame. It was starting to rain today and Rosie was more excited than ever. Her parents had given her a brand new umbrella, all her own, for her eighth birthday and she could hardly wait to use it.

She quickly put on her yellow raincoat and hat and stepped into her bright blue rubber boots, "Mom", she shouted excitedly," I'm going to walk up and down in front of the house with my new umbrella 'cause it's starting to rain."

Rosie's mother came into the hall from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and smiled. "Rosie I don't think it's a good idea to play in the rain. Your umbrella is not a toy; it's to keep you dry when you must go out."

Rosie bounced around pleading and making a big fuss about never getting to use her new gift. What good was it if she couldn't go outside in the rain when she had the chance?

"Alright dear," her mother sighed, "just be careful and stay right in front of the house where I can see you. Remember now Rosie, stay right out front and don't go near the river at the corner."

Rosie whooped and hurried out onto the front porch opening her brand new umbrella for the first time. It was a beautiful umbrella, all white with bright coloured flowers all over it. Rosie laughed with glee when she held it up and stepped off the porch into the light rainfall. The patter of drops grew heavier and Rosie smiled, stamping her blue boots and splashing as she walked. Watching carefully for the hedge that marked the end of her property and the start of the neighbours, she turned around and splashed back in the other direction.

A pretty little river ran down from the hills in the country past the corner near Rosie's house and into the town. The rule was, Rosie was not to go near the river without Mommy or Daddy. Mommy would be watching, she knew, so she would show her that she was a big girl and could be trusted to do as she was told.

Rosie's mother peered through the rain-streaked window nodding happily, with relief, as he saw Rosie make the turn at the hedge and start back. Just then the telephone rang and with another quick glance at her daughter, Rosie's mother went off to answer it in the kitchen. Outside Rosie laughed and skipped to the other side of the property, here she looked down the bank to the river, gave a quick wave and twirled her bright new umbrella, sending drops of water spinning off around her.

As she turned to go back the other way a strong gust of wind whooshed up under the umbrella and lifted Rosie off the ground. The raincoat started to billow up and she slipped out of it hoping it would stop her from going higher, then she kicked off her boots but it didn't help.

"Oh! Oh my," she cried, holding on to her new umbrella's handle with all her might, "Mommy, Mommy help me."

The wind grew stronger and made a scary howling sound as it lifted Rosie way up in the air and over the top of her house and the neighbour's trees. Rosie was terrified. She squeezed the handle of her new umbrella as tight as she could as the swirling wind carried her higher and further away. She had never been so high before and everything looked so small. Rosie began to cry.

"Awwk! What are you doing up here and why are you crying?" Rosie looked over to see a big seagull floating on the wind beside her.

"I'm crying because I'm scared," Rosie said, "and I'm up here because the wind got under my new umbrella and lifted me up here." The seagull did a lazy roll in the sky and returned to Rosie's side.

"Hmmph, the wind lifts me up all the time and I don't cry. What kind of silly bird are you, and where did you get that funny wing?"

Rosie cried aloud again, "I'm not a bird. I'm a little girl and I'm eight years old and I want to go home."

"Kroork! Okay, okay. Take it easy. A little girl, well you shouldn't be way up here. Little girls don't fly." The seagull did another slow roll and perched on Rosie's umbrella. Rosie sniffled again and pleaded with the seagull,

"Please help me get home. I don't want to be up here. I want to be on the ground." As she spoke, Rosie looked down and to her dismay all she could see were tiny farmlands, forests and the silver thread of the river that ran past her house, winding over the landscape. "Oh dear," she wailed, "I don't see my house or even my street any more. Where am I?"

The seagull flapped its wings to keep balance as the wind buffeted them around again. "Wraack! I'm afraid I can't get you down, only Mr. Gusty can do that. You'll have to speak to him."

Rosie stopped crying and looked up hopefully. "Who's Mr. Gusty?

"Croook! Oh he's way up higher than this," the big gull said, pointing one wing upwards, "I can take you up there if you want, it's really the only choice you have, unless . . ."

"Unless what?" Rosie whimpered.

"Well, you could just let go of that funny wing you have."

Rosie tightened her grip on her umbrella and started crying again. "I can't! I can't, I'll fall. Oh dear, please help me Mr. Bird."

The seagull flew down under the umbrella and smiled at the frightened little girl. "My name is Gilbert Gull, not Mr. Bird. You can call me Gil, ok? Hang on and don't cry, I'll take you up where Mr. Gusty lives."

Rosie wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. "Oh thank you Gil thank you, and my name is Rosie."