June,1997 ： The children's play ; "Teruterubouse"

Mieko Nagano : Oita city

It is again drizzling in the morning, we have already had three consecutive rainy days. We will go on a picnic tomorrow. Hoping for fine weather, I made "Teruterubozu" along with my elder sister and younger brothers. We wrapped small paper balls with the white clothes and tied them with the strings to make the dolls. Mom hung them down from the eves. Children sing a song with one voice: "Dear dolls, please give us a fine day tomorrow...."

Children are afraid it will rain tomorrow, looking at the garden in the rain through the window. They uneasily count the number of the polka dots in the puddles. The flowers and leaves of Hydrangea look fresh in the rain. Under the leaves is a small green frog croaking with its trembling throat. The interval of the drip-drip on the surface of the puddles is getting longer..... and the rain has finally lifted.

Thank you the dolls! Can we go on the picnic tomorrow? See, a rainbow appeared, O.K. now. We can see the lingering glow of the sunset. I have to check the contents of the knapsack again. Everything is ready, except the lunchbox mom will prepare for me tomorrow morning. How happy I am!