'Well then!' said the Phoenix. 'And as to the rain--well, I am not
fond of rain myself. If the sun knew _I_ was here--he's very fond of
shining on me because I look so bright and golden. He always says
I repay a little attention. Haven't you some form of words
suitable for use in wet weather?'
'There's "Rain, rain, go away,"' said Anthea; 'but it never DOES
go.'
'Perhaps you don't say the invocation properly,' said the bird.
'Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day,
Little baby wants to play,'
said Anthea.
'That's quite wrong; and if you say it in that sort of dull way, I
can quite understand the rain not taking any notice. You should
open the window and shout as loud as you can--
'Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day;
Now we want the sun, and so,
Pretty rain, be kind and go!
'You should always speak politely to people when you want them to
do things, and especially when it's going away that you want them
to do. And to-day you might add--
'Shine, great sun, the lovely Phoe-
Nix is here, and wants to be
Shone on, splendid sun, by thee!'
'That's poetry!' said Cyril, decidedly.
'It's like it,' said the more cautious Robert.
'I was obliged to put in "lovely",' said the Phoenix, modestly, 'to
make the line long enough.
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