Hi, Stillwater.
Do you have any old newspapers I can borrow?
Hello, Karl.
Why don't you look inside the shed?
That may not be the best place to take a rest, little friend.
Thanks.
You're welcome, Karl.
Do you have any old blankets?
Have a look in the shed.
Hello again.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Twinkle lights?
Shed.
Do you have any wooden boards? Like, really long ones?
In the shed.
You've been busy today.
I'm building a spaceship.
An actual spaceship.
Really?
I don't believe I've ever seen an actual spaceship before.
You wanna see it?
I'd be delighted to.
Here it is.
These are the controls. Here's where you make it go up.
That's where you make it go down.
This makes it go fast.
I mean, really fast.
What does that red button do? It looks important.
It's the three-two-one-blastoff controller.
You press it when you're ready to launch.
You've put a lot of thought into this.
I'm still working on it.
This is what it's gonna look like when I'm finished.
Very impressive, Karl.
Okay. How about this?
That's some sticky tape.
It won't come off.
Thanks, Addy.
I need this to be all closed up if it's going to fly into outer space.
-Do you really think this is going to fly? -Yes. Don't you?
It's not a real spaceship, Karl.
Yes, it is, Michael!
Tell him, Addy.
Well, it looks like a spaceship.
Sort of.
Yeah, sort of, but it's never actually going to fly.
That would be impossible.
No! It's not impossible.
This is going to fly. You'll see.
Do you need more things for your spaceship?
I don't know.
Come. Have a snack.
I have bamboo and carrots.
This is the painting I've been working on.
It looks kinda like a rocket.
It's not a rocket.
But it did allow someone to reach great heights.
Like your very impressive spaceship.
Addy and Michael don't think it is.
They say there's no way my spaceship is ever going to fly, ever.
They say it's impossible.
Do you think it's impossible?
No. I think it's going to fly all the way up into space,
where the stars are and everything.
But what'll happen if it doesn't fly?
Sit with me for a moment.
I will tell you about someone who once caught the sun.
Then we'll see about getting your spaceship off the ground.
Joku was a young farmer who tended his family field from morning till night.
He loved his work but for one thing.
You work too hard, Joku.
It is true.
When I leave for my fields at the start of each day, the sun is not yet up.
When I return at day's end, the sun has gone to sleep.
If only I could grab hold of the sun.
I could keep it from setting beyond the trees and make the day longer.
The sun has no master, Joku.
That would be impossible.
If there was one thing that Joku didn't like,
besides not having enough daytime for himself,
it was being told that something was impossible.
Joku was very determined.
I don't believe in impossible.
Joku came up with a plan.
A very clever plan.
Impossible.
What is Joku doing?
He says he's going to catch the sun to make the day "last longer."
That's impossible.
I know.
I keep telling him, but he doesn't listen.
He's building a tower, isn't he, Stillwater?
Just like in your painting.
You're right.
And Joku kept building and building.
He never gave up.
This is impossible.
Why does he continue?
Even when they said it was impossible?
Especially when they said it was impossible.
What if they're right?
What if it is impossible to catch the sun?
But even in his brief moment of doubt, Joku continued.
Did he fly off into space?
No, he didn't fly off into space, but he did find what he was looking for.
The sun.
Because he was up so high, he could see beyond the trees
all the way to the horizon.
So, while the rest of the village was in the shadow of night,
Joku had a few more moments of daylight all to himself.
I caught you, sun.
It's been said only those who try can achieve the impossible.
That's like my spaceship.
Everyone else says it's impossible to make it fly, but I'm still going to try.
Maybe I don't need my spaceship to go all the way up in space.
Just a little bit high would be okay.
I might be able to help you there.
We'd better get started.
Do you have any space suits?
You made all this?
Yep.
I'll open the hatch.
Welcome aboard the Flameflash XTX, Addy.
First, we turn on the controls.
Now we do a system check.
When I call out a word, you say the word "check."
Check.
Not yet.
-Steering. -Check.
-Computer. -Check.
-Shields. -Check.
Which one's shields?
-That one. -Check.
Ready for countdown.
Five,
-four, three, two, one. -Four, three, two, one.
Launch.
We're moving.
Stand by for turbo speed blasters. Activate.
This is amazing.
Hey, why'd we slow down?
Because we're in space now. Look.
I don't know how you did it, Karl, but it feels like the spaceship is flying.
I told you it would.
That means we've landed.
That was amazing and so much fun.
I'm next.
Okay. Fasten your seat belt.
Ready? Three, two, one, launch!
Cool!
Look out! Asteroids ahead!
Activating shields!
Rain.
It ruins everything.
Sorry your baseball game got canceled, Michael.
-Want some tea? -No, thanks.
I was really looking forward to today.
We could play a board game.
Nah, I don't feel like it.
Are you just gonna sit and watch the rain all day?
Maybe if I stare at it long enough, it'll go away.
Addy, come here.
Is that Stillwater?
He's just sitting there in the rain.
Why doesn't he have an umbrella?
Stillwater always has an umbrella when it's raining.
And sometimes even when it's not.
Maybe he lost it.
Maybe he's stuck outside.
I need to do something.
Well, what do you think?
I don't think you'll be getting wet with all that stuff on.
Phew, no leaks.
Hello, Michael.
Lovely day, isn't it?
Do you need an umbrella? I noticed you didn't have yours.
That's very kind of you. But no, I don't need an umbrella.
Today I'm using the rain as my raincoat.
But won't you get all wet?
You're supposed to stay out of the rain.
See? Perfectly dry.
You are very well protected.
Sometimes, when there's a warm summer shower like this,
I like to feel the raindrops falling on my fur.
You like the rain?
I love the rain.
I always think about the journey each of these little raindrops
has taken in their life.
This one could've come all the way from China, carried here on a cloud.
Welcome to my garden, little raindrops.
Come and rest yourselves after such a long journey.
When you think of it that way, the rain doesn't seem all that bad.
Thinking of things a different way is good.
We call that "perspective."
Have I told you about the gardener and the bee?
I don't think so.
Then I shall tell you. It's one of my favorites.
Odette had one of the finest gardens for miles around.
She worked so hard to make things grow and loved everything about her patch.
Except for one thing.
The bees.
Go on.
Where could all these bees be coming from?
Though Odette didn't like the bees, she was a very curious gardener.
She decided to follow one to see where they lived.
Inside the fallen log, Odette found the bee's home.
Oh, my.
Hundreds and hundreds of bees lived there.
So many bees. What if I were to be stung?
So worried was she that the gardener was determined that something should be done.
The next day, she called on a beekeeper friend for help.
So then, no more bees?
They're all safe inside. I'll take their hive away to another garden.
But are you sure you wanna do this?
Most certainly.
At the gardener's instruction, the beekeeper took the hive away.
No bees, no stings.
The following spring, when her plants began to grow, Odette was confused.
Something was missing.
Where's the fruit?
Where are the vegetables? Nothing is growing as it should.
At least there are no more bees that might sting me.
The bees.
And that is when Odette realized her mistake.
The bees are good.
-Plants need them. -You're right, Michael.
Without bees, there are no juicy tomatoes, no fat, crunchy cucumbers,
and no branches heavy with sweet red cherries.
What a terrible mistake I've made.
All for the fear of a sting.
Hello.
I apologize for having your home taken away, but wouldn't you please come back?
And could you bring some friends?
I do hope he comes back with his friends.
The bees did return, and so did Odette's bounty.
Odette the gardener got something else that year.
I know, honey.
That's right.
Honey. And enough to share.
This is so good.
I used to be afraid of bees too.
Then something changed?
I learned they mostly don't mean to sting you, and honey tastes good on toast.
Honey tastes good on everything.
You see, Michael, you found perspective.
Just like our friend the gardener.
Excuse me.
What does the rain feel like on you? Does it tickle?
To me, it feels like a thousand drumbeats.
Music on my fur.
I like music, but I don't like the rain.
I don't like that sometimes the rain makes me sneeze.
What don't you like about the rain?
It ruins everything.
I was supposed to have a baseball game today, but it got canceled.
You can't do anything fun when it rains.
I can see how that must be frustrating for you.
But I wonder, is that all it can do?
Rain must do some good things too.
Well, nothing would grow without the water from rain.
That's something good, I guess.
Hey, this is just like the bees in your story.
They help make things grow too.
Very perceptive, Michael.
And who says you can't do anything fun in the rain?
Here, take this leaf.
Does it remind you of anything?
-It kind of looks like a little boat. -That's what I thought too.
And there's a nice little river running right between us.
Oh, you wanna race?
Ready, set, go!
Go, go, go!
Go! Let's go!
Yeah!
It looks as if Karl found a way to have fun in the rain too.
I used to do that too when I was his age.
I think I'm gonna try using the rain as my raincoat too.
It's not even that cold.
That's why I only do this in the summer.
Even I wear a raincoat in the wintertime.
Would you like to try some mud puddles too?
Would you?
Yes. I believe I would.
Yeah!
Wait for me. I'm coming in!
With our spirits We were floating through the trees
Like creatures, we were soaring high Blowing off some steam
Or a mountain and its effervescent green
A never-ending dream
I found a little bit of honey
And now I'm a little sweeter inside
It's just a little bit funny
But now I have the world on my side