Rosie Raindrop and the Water-Cycle

Rosie Raindrop was falling, falling, falling.

"Ooooooh, this is nice. I wonder where we are going?" Rosie said to the
other raindrops.

After, what seemed a long, long time, Rosie landed with a SPLASH into a
big puddle. Rosie was swept along with all the other raindrops into a
hole in the road.

The hole is called a drain. Rosie was very frightened. It was dark in
the drain. Suddenly Rosie saw a big brown hairy thing.

"H....hello," said Rosie timidly. "What are you?"

"I am a sewer rat. This is a sewer, and I live down here."

"But, it smells down here," said Rosie.

"Yes," answered the rat. "Just how I like it."

Rosie didn't like this place called a sewer. It had lots of floating
rubbish in it. Things like papers, cans, twigs and leaves. There were
also wiggly things called bugs.

Rosie felt very dirty. She wished that she was clean again. Rosie and
the paper, cans, twigs and leaves floated along.

Soon they all came to a grill. The larger rubbish, such as the paper,
cans, twigs and leaves couldn't get through this grill. Rosie said
goodbye to them as she was carried along on the water.

Eventually Rosie came to a big square thing. This square thing is
called a Tank. Rosie still felt very dirty. In this tank, Rosie hardly
moved at all. This was because the water was still and calm. This lets
any grit or sand sink to the bottom of the tank. The cleaner water then
flows into the next tank.When Rosie saw what was in the next tank she
squealed with delight.

There were big whirly arms swishing the water round.Rosie liked this
tank. It was like a big roundabout. It swirled round and round and
round. The whirly arms make any grit or sand that is left in the water
sink to the bottom. Rosie wondered what the next tank would do.

She was beginning to enjoy her adventure now. As Rosie flowed into the
next tank, she saw that bugs were being added. She was frightened
again. What if they ate her? Well, she would have to brave and
ask.

"Excuse me, Mr Bug," said Rosie. "Are you going to eat me?"

"Nah," replied Mr Bug. "I only eat other bugs in the water. Are you a
bug?"

"No, I am a raindrop. Why do you eat other bugs?" asked Rosie.

"Because it's my job. I help to keep the water clean," answered Mr
Bug.

"Will you help me get clean again?" asked Rosie.

"Yes, I suppose so," said Mr Bug.

"Well, that's all right then," said Rosie feeling happy again.

Rosie flowed through into the last tank. At the bottom of the tank,
there were lots and lots of stones. On the stones were tiny germs.
Rosie wasn't frightened of these germs. She now knew that they were
there to help her get really clean again. She passed through these
stones.

"Ooooh, I do feel clean," said Rosie to herself. Quite suddenly, she
was flowing through the water into daylight again. She could see the
trees and the grass on the edge of the water. She saw something
swimming in the water.

"Em, excuse me, please," said Rosie. "What are you, and can you tell me
where I am, please?"

"I am a fish, and you are in the river. Are thick, or what?" asked the
fish.

"No, I'm only a raindrop," answered Rosie.

The fish swam away laughing.Rosie could feel the warm sunshine beating
down on her. Then something strange happened. She could feel a
change-taking place. She was rising into the sky again."Oh well," she
said. "Here I go again."