Nina Naps with the Clouds

A dreamy story about slowing down and finding shapes in the sky.

Nina did not want to nap. “Naps are for babies,” she said. “I have so many things to do.” She had a tower to build, and a picture to colour, and a very important game of tag with the dog.

Her grandfather smiled. “How about we lie on the grass and watch the clouds?” he said. “You do not have to sleep. You just have to look.” Nina thought that sounded fine.

They spread a rug under the big tree, and they lay down side by side. The sky was wide and blue. White clouds drifted slowly across it, like sheep on a very large field.

“I see a rabbit,” said Nina, pointing at a long-eared cloud. “I see a ship,” said her grandfather. The rabbit stretched and slowly became a sailing boat. Nina giggled.

A big, fat cloud floated by. “That one is a whale,” said Nina. Its tail swished. Its back curved. It sailed past the sun, and its edges glowed like silver.

The grass was warm and smelled sweet. A breeze tickled her toes. Nina’s arms went floppy, and her legs went heavy. She watched a thin cloud twist into the shape of a feather.

“I see a…” she began, but her words got slow. “I see a… dragon…” Her eyes drifted shut. A little while later, a soft snore floated up from the rug.

Her grandfather tucked a hat over her face to keep off the sun. He looked up and smiled at the whale, the rabbit and the feather. “Sleep well, little cloud-watcher,” he whispered.

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