Little Buffalo woke up on the wrong side of the grassy patch that morning. He had not slept well last night. All night long he had heard the most frightful sounds in the bushveld. At first the sounds were far away, but then they came closer and closer. It sounded just like the rumble-grumble of Grandpa Elephant’s stomach when he is hungry! This morning it seemed as if none of the other buffaloes had heard it. And even though Little Buffalo was the youngest in the buffalo herd, he was not about to ask the other young buffaloes about the sound! What if they thought he was a coward and teased him? All morning Little Buffalo wondered what the rumblegrumble sound could have been. Grandpa Elephant was peacefully chewing some mopane leaves when Little Buffalo walked past him on his way to the waterhole. “Grandpa Elephant, was it your stomach that rumble-grumbled so loudly last night that I could hear it all the way across the bushveld?” asked Little Buffalo. “No, Little Buffalo. It wasn’t me. My stomach only started rumble-grumbling after sunrise this morning,” answered Grandpa Elephant. Then he turned around and walked towards the tall trees. At the waterhole, Little Buffalo found Aunt Hippo basking in the sun. “Aunt Hippo, did you perhaps hear the rumble-grumble sound last night?” asked Little Buffalo. “No, Little Buffalo. My ears where under the water. I heard nothing,” answered Aunt Hippo. Then she gave a big hippo yawn and closed her eyes for an afternoon nap.

All afternoon Little Buffalo wondered what the rumblegrumble sound could have been. He asked everyone he met if they had heard the sound, but no one else seemed to have heard it. “Perhaps it was only a dream, Little Buffalo,” answered Mama Buffalo when he asked her. And surely Mama would know because Little Buffalo had slept right next to her. When the last sunbeams had disappeared, it was time for Little Buffalo and all the other buffaloes to settle down on the soft grass for the night. Little Buffalo had just fallen asleep when he woke up with a jolt. Without a doubt, he heard the rumble-grumble again! At first the rumble-grumble sounded far away, but then it came closer and closer. And it got louder and louder! Little Buffalo’s heart beat like a drum. He looked around to see if the other buffaloes heard the sound too, but they were all fast asleep. Even Mama Buffalo was not stirring. Little Buffalo felt scared. It rumbled and grumbled and rumble-grumbled all around him. And then … SPLASH! something wet landed on Little Buffalo’s nose! Splash, splash, splash! More and more waterdrops appeared.

Little Buffalo looked up. Big drops of water fell in sheets from the sky. Little Buffalo laughed out loud at himself … of course … this had to be rain. His very first rain shower! And the rumble-grumble he had heard, was only thunder! There was nothing to be scared of. With a peaceful heart Little Buffalo snuggled up close to Mama Buffalo’s warm body. He listened to the sound of the rain falling on the leaves and grass for a little longer, and then he fell fast asleep without a care in the world.

Get story active!

 Can you remember a time when you heard a scary sound? What did you do? Where did the sound come from?

 Draw a picture of Little Buffalo and Aunt Hippo. Draw a speech bubble that comes from Little Buffalo and another that comes from Aunt Hippo. Copy the words from the story that each character says into their speech bubbles.

 Think about rain. Write a poem that tells how rain sounds, smells and feels on your skin.