'What a dreadful day' said Bethan as she looked out of the window at the rain pouring down.
'Why don't you play trains with me?' Thomas asked as he skilfully sent the Mail Train around the track.
'You know I don't like trains' grumbled Bethan as she walked carefully over to where Thomas was sitting on the floor. 'Besides, they take up far too much room'.
'Dear me!' said Grandpa as he came into the sitting room. 'What a grumpy little girl we have today. Haven't you enjoyed cooking with Grandma?'
'Yes' Bethan agreed reluctantly. 'But as soon as we cooked it, it was eaten!'
'That's why you cook' Thomas said, and he shook his head in amazement at his sister. 'Girls!'
'Oh, there are lots of cakes left' laughed Grandpa. 'And they really are nice. I think you are going to be as good a cook as your Grandma!'
Bethan almost smiled but then said 'I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'm not going to cook again just for Thomas to eat nearly everything' and she kicked her toes into the carpet. 'Do you know, you remind me of the pigeons' Grandpa said. 'They grumbled at the rain, too.'
'A story!' Bethan cheered up immediately. 'Tell us what the pigeons said' and she actually smiled.
'Come on then' said Grandpa. 'We'll have an early bedtime story.'
Thomas jumped up from his trains, and they both sat in their favourite place on the rug.
'It was another rainy day' Grandpa began.

'What a day! Rain, rain, rain' grumbled the pigeons.
'I don't see why you are so grumpy' said Donkey. 'You have a nice cosy stable here, and you are warm and dry. What more can anyone want?'
'Hmm, Hmm, Hmm' chorused the pigeons strutting back and forth along the rafters letting everyone know how fed up they were.
'Oh, do sit still' said a deep voice. 'You are making all my spines stand on edge.' It was the hedgehog who was getting into a real prickly mood at the constant fretting of the pigeons.
'Dear me' came the sweet gentle voice of a dove. 'I know it's not a very nice day, but it's very kind of Donkey to let us shelter in his stable. We shouldn't be quarrelling like this.'
'No' agreed another dove. 'Why don't we have our storytime now, rather than wait until this evening. I see we are all here.'
'Except Crow' spoke up one of the mice.
'Good!'
No-one needed to ask who had said that! They just looked at Mr. Cat!
'Perhaps you would like us to tell our story' the gentle doves asked quickly.
'What a good idea' said Donkey in a very relieved tone. A story was much better than a stable full of grumpy animals.
'Please begin'.
The dove who had first spoken turned to his friend and softly asked 'Would you like to begin?'
'Yes, if that is all right with you' he answered. 'This is how our story begins.'
'We were flying around the hills, and you know how lonely it is at the very top, so we were rather surprised to see a group of people there.'
He paused, and his friend spoke.
'There were four of them, I remember.'
'Yes, that's right, four men' the other dove agreed. He paused again, and seemed unable to continue. He just sat and shook his head from side to side in astonishment as he remembered what had happened.
The animals stared at him until Owl sidled along the rafters. 'I say, old fellow' he said 'Would you rather not speak of it? But we are rather keen to hear, you know.'
The dove came back to the present with a start. 'Oh, thank you dear Mr. Owl, I can continue. But how can I tell you just how wonderful it was? You see, one of the men walked a little way from the others, and suddenly .....and suddenly, His clothes became dazzling white! His whole appearance changed, and His face shone like the sun.'
A sound of amazement from the other animals rippled round the stable.
'Dazzling white' said one in an awestruck tone.
'Face shining like the sun' whispered others to their neighbours. They were astounded.
The first dove then took up the story. 'But that's not all' he said.
'As we looked, another two men appeared and began talking to Jesus.
The animals nodded their heads, they knew it was Jesus - it could have been no-one else!
'Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, asked if he could make three shelters; one for Moses; one for Elijah; and one for Jesus' the dove continued. 'But just as Peter was speaking, a bright cloud covered the three men, and a voice spoke from the cloud.'
'A Voice!' again a murmuring and twittering could be heard in the stable as the animals talked of this latest wonder.
'The Voice' interrupted Donkey. 'The Voice - what did it say?'
'It said' answered the dove. ";This is my Beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with Him. Obey Him.";
'The disciples were very frightened, and fell face down on the ground, but Jesus came over to them and touched them. ";Get up don't be afraid"; He said.'
'Then what happened?' asked one of the mice, his voice barely above a whisper.
'Well' the dove answered the mouse. 'By this time Elijah and Moses had gone, so Jesus and His disciples went back down the mountain.'
The animals had heard some surprising stories during their storytime. Some happy, some very moving, all of them wonderful, but this one had taken their breath away.
They sat very quietly, trying to picture the radiance and glory of Jesus as He had been transfigured.
'This is something both of you will never forget' said the gruff voice of the hedgehog.
'Very true, hedgehog' they both agreed. 'And we are so happy to share our wonderful experience with you all.'
The wise Owl nodded. 'Yes, that is what we all must do - Share Jesus with others.'
Elizabeth Aynsley 96/09/25 ©

Mark CH.9 Vs.2 to 8