Auntie June came visiting. She was carrying a large basket of goodies and a big red umbrella. She brought out cakes and fruits and jams and jellies from the basket. Betty and Bob had a wonderful time. Then they all waved her goodbye as she got into the bus and went back home.
Betty saw that Auntie June had forgotten her umbrella near the sofa. She ran out to call her, but the bus was far away already. “Oh, we’ll have to return it later,” she thought, “I’ll give it to Mom to keep.”
The red umbrella was really very pretty. Betty decided to open it and see. But it was rather big. “Perhaps it will be better to open it outside,” she thought.
So, Betty went out and opened it. “Wow! It was lovely. It has a beautiful yellow flower painted on one corner too!” Betty decided to walk down the street to Mrs Holly’s shop. She had to show off the lovely umbrella.
Holding it proudly over her head, she walked along the street feeling like a princess. Mrs Holly was very impressed with the umbrella and so were her customers. Happily Betty went along further towards the Town Hall. But suddenly, a wind blew down the street. And before she could do anything, it whirled the umbrella up, up towards the roof of the church!
Up went the umbrella, with Betty hanging on for dear life! “Oh, heavens!” she said as she landed near the church bells on the tower. “How am I going to get down from here?”
Then she remembered a TV programme with soldiers coming down with parachutes. “I think I’ll have to use the umbrella like a parachute,” thought Betty, “But I’ll have to wait for the wind.”
As soon as the wind rose, she jumped off the tower and there was Betty coming down in a parachute! But suddenly, it rained. Betty ran into the church and waited.
Soon the rain stopped.
“I had better go back home,” thought Betty. The rain had made big puddles near the pavement. Betty put the umbrella across a small puddle and walked over it! “It has become a bridge now!” thought Betty. “Then I can sail in it too if there is a big puddle,” she thought. Sure enough, there was a big puddle. Mummy came out and watched Betty sitting in the umbrella sailing across to the house!
Betty told her Mummy all about her adventures and then helped her clean the umbrella. It had to be returned to Auntie June after all!
