빗방울 하나의 긴 여행

Born in a Cloud

High above the ground, a tiny raindrop was born inside a cloud. It was smaller than a grain of sand. Millions of water drops floated there together in the cold air. They bumped and joined, and each little drop slowly grew heavier. Soon our raindrop became too heavy for the cloud to hold. The gray cloud let go, and the drop began to fall.

The Long Fall

Down, down, down the raindrop tumbled toward the green earth. It splashed onto a rocky hillside and slid across the cool stones. Then it trickled into a small stream that rushed downhill. The whole world rushed by. The moving water carried the drop past mossy roots and smooth pebbles. The raindrop was traveling fast, and it did not want to stop.

Out to the Sea

The little stream soon joined a wide, winding river. The river flowed for many miles, growing deeper along the way. At last it reached the salty sea, where the water stretched forever. Our raindrop mixed into the huge blue ocean and rested for a while. Then warm sunlight beamed down and heated the top of the water. The heat turned the drop into vapor, a gas you cannot see. Slowly and quietly, the vapor began to rise back into the sky.

Around Again

High in the sky, the vapor cooled and turned back into drops. Those drops gathered close and formed a brand-new cloud. The cloud grew big and gray. Our tiny raindrop had traveled all the way around. This never-ending journey is called the water cycle. Every single day, water moves across our whole planet. The same drop might even fall on you someday. Where do you think this little raindrop will go next?