There was once a dog who was white as snow and fluffy as a cloud. Her name was White Cloud and she was named by a little girl named Rose, who lived at the bottom of the mountain. They went everywhere together, often visiting the Mumbi Tree. They always brought the tree a pink rose as a gift.
White Cloud usually came to the kitchen to get a bone everyday, but on this one day, she did not come. Rose became worried. White Cloud had been looking tired lately and acting very strange. Meanwhile, White Cloud was trodding up the mountain, which usually was easy for her, but for some reason she was panting heavily and slow to move. When she got to the top it had started to snow so she went inside the hole in the Mumbi tree to rest and stay warm. Curled up inside the tree, White Cloud fell asleep.
By this time, Rose was frantic, calling for White Cloud and hearing no answer from her.
It was now late in the day, and because of the snow falling, she stayed home.
The next morning White Cloud was still nowhere to be seen.
Rose asked her grandfather for a shawl and some food to take with her up the mountain. She wanted to go to the Mumbi Tree to ask for help. As always she brought with her a pink rose.
Going up the mountain as fast as her skinny legs could take her, she arrived panting. As she placed her forehead on the trunk of the tree, her feelings came over her and she sank onto the ground. Holding her head in her hands she wept. Tired from her journey and all her tears, she fell asleep.
About an hour later, she awoke and felt a little nose against her cheek. Surprised, she opened her eyes and saw a mini version of White Cloud, like a little puff ball as cute as could be.
Her eyes followed curiously as the mini puff ball crawled into the hole in the tree.
There, inside the tree, she saw White Cloud with five little puff balls cuddled up around her.
At that moment, she heard someone coming up the mountain. She turned around to see her grandfather, with a big smile on his face, carrying a basket with a blanket and a big dog bone.
How did you know Grandfather?, asked Rose.
Well, sweet Rose, when a dog is going to have babies, she finds a special place to give birth.
I just had a feeling that White Cloud would be here because White Cloud’s mother did the same thing when I was a boy.
Rose smiled and ran to her grandfather, embracing him. He wrapped his strong arms around her.
Rose gave White Cloud a bone and she kissed her on her nose.
White Cloud, knowingly nudged her little puff balls into the warm basket and then got in herself to nurse her babies. Grandpa put the basket onto the sled.
Rose, before getting on the sled herself, put the pink rose inside the hole of the Mumbi tree. She placed her hands on the inside of the trunk and kissed the tree. The branches swayed in response, the snow on the branches falling off like sparkling angels.
Then Rose hopped on the sled, cuddling the new family. Grandpa steered them home, safely down the mountain.