A small boy and his father were having a walk in the country when it suddenly¹ began to rain very hard． They did² not have their umbrella with them， and there was³ nowhere⁴ to hide⁵ from the rain， so they were soon very wet， and the small boy did not feel very happy．

For a long time while⁶ they were walking home through the rain， the boy was thinking⁷． Then at last he turned to his father and said⁸ to him，“Why does it rain， Father？ It isn't very nice， is it？”

“No， it isn't very nice， but it's very useful，Tom，”answered his father．“It rains to make the fruit and the vegetables grow for us， and to make the grass grow for the cows and sheep．”

Tom thought⁹ about this for a few¹⁰ seconds， and then he said，“Then，why does it rain on the road too， Father？”

一个小男孩和他的父亲正在乡间行走，突然下起了大雨。

他们没带伞，加上四下无处可以躲雨，所以很快他们浑身上下被淋湿了，小男孩感到很不好受。

他们在雨中朝家走去，有好一会儿，那个男孩一直在思索着什么。后来终于他朝父亲转过脸去，问他说：“爸爸，为什么天会下雨呢？下雨可不太好，是吧？”

“是呀，下雨是不太好，可是下雨也有很多有益的地方，汤姆。”父亲回答说。“老天爷下雨促使了为我们所食用的水果和蔬菜的生长，同样也促使牛羊所吃的青草的生长。”

汤姆对父亲的这番话想了一会，然后说：“那么，父亲，老天爷为什么还要把雨下在路上呢？”