The weather was strange today.
There was no sun. But no rain either. Just one cloud—big, dark, and furious.
And that cloud was rumbling.
GRRRRR... GRRRRR...
Selenga stepped onto the balcony. She looked up at the cloud.
“Why are you so angry?” she called out.
The cloud flashed lightning. Then it stopped. Then it looked down.
"Who's talking to me?"
“Me. Selenga.”
"Go inside. It's going to rain."
"Not until you tell me why you're angry."
The Cloud's Anger
The cloud stayed silent for a long time. Then it lowered itself—just a little.
“Everyone runs away from me,” it said. “When I come, people go inside. Kids stop playing. Cats hide in their beds. Everyone runs away.”
“Because you make it rain,” said Selenga.
"I don't want to make it rain! I just want to be seen. But when they see me, they run. Then I get angry. When I'm angry, it rains. When it rains, they run more."
Selenga understood. "It's a cycle."
“Yes,” said the cloud. "I don't know how to break it."
Is It Anger or Sadness?
"I'm going to ask you something,“ said Selenga. ”Answer carefully."
“Ask.”
“Are you really angry? Or are you sad?”
The cloud flashed one more time. Then it stopped.
"What's the difference?"
"A big one. Anger goes outward—it explodes. Sadness goes inward—it builds up. You're exploding. But something is building up inside."
The cloud waited silently.
“Maybe,” it said finally. "Maybe I am sad. But I don't know how to show sadness."
“With lightning?”
“When I flash lightning, they run even more.”
Selenga laughed. "You're right. When you look angry, people run away. When you look sad, they come closer."
Trying Something New
“So what do I do?” asked the cloud. "I've been like this for years."
“Try,” said Selenga. “Instead of rain, what else could you do?”
The cloud thought. For a long time.
Then something happened.
The cloud cried. But not rain. It was soft, gentle, light mist. Not angry rain—sad tears.
Selenga opened her hand. The drops fell into her palm.
“I hear you,” she said.
The cloud released more mist. Then more.
A child came out from below. Opened their hands, looked up. “Cool!” they laughed.
The cloud froze.
They didn't run away.
"Why didn't that child run?" it asked.
"Because you weren't angry anymore. You were sad. And sadness brings people closer."
The Cloud's New Name
By evening, the cloud's color had lightened. Still gray, but brighter.
“Thank you,” Selenga said to the cloud.
“You know what I learned?” asked the cloud.
“What?”
"There was sadness underneath my anger. I couldn't show it, so I kept exploding."
Selenga smiled. "You're very wise."
"And you're very brave. You didn't run away."
Selenga stood on the balcony. The cloud rose a little higher.
“Let me give you a gift,” said the cloud.
The sun came out. The mist was still falling.
A rainbow appeared in the sky.
"My name isn't Rain anymore,“ said the cloud. ”My name is Rainbow."
Questions Parents Ask
Is anger a bad feeling? No. No feeling is bad. But it's important to understand that anger often hides another emotion underneath.
What should I do when I'm angry? Pause. Take a breath. Then ask yourself: “What am I really feeling?” Maybe sadness, maybe fear, maybe disappointment.
A Note for Parents
This story is powerful for teaching anger management. Children often struggle to understand that anger masks other emotions. After reading, asking “Have you ever felt like the cloud?” opens a meaningful conversation about feelings and how we express them.