Therainhadfallensteadilyfortwodaysandtwonights—notjustagentledrizzle,butaheavydownpour. ForsometimeitdidnotintheleastdisturbBrownieBeaverandhisneighbors—thatistosay,allbutoneofthem. FortherewasaveryoldgentlemaninthevillageknownasGrandaddyBeaverwhobegantoworryalmostassoonasitbegantorain. “We’rea-goingtohaveafreshet,”hesaidtoeverybodyhemet.“I’veseen‘emstartmanyatimeandIcanalwaystellafreshetalmostassoonasIseeitcoming.” GrandaddyBeaver’sfriendspaidnoheedtohiswarning.Andsomeofthemweresounkindastolaughwhentheoldgentlemancrawledontopofhishouseandbegantomendit. “Youyoungfolkscanpokefunatmeifyouwantto,”saidGrandaddyBeaver,“butI’ma-goingrightaheadandmakemyhouseasstrongasIcan. ForwhenthefreshetgetshereIdon’twantmyhomewashedaway.” Alldaylongpeoplewouldstoptowatchtheoldfellowatworkuponhisroof. Andeverybodythoughtitwasagreatjoke—untiltheseconddaycameandeverybodynoticedthatitwasrainingjustashardasever. ButnooneexceptGrandaddyBeaverhadeverheardofafreshetatthattimeofyear. Soeventhennobodyelsewenttoworkonhishouse,thoughsomepeopledidstopsmiling. Afreshet,youknow,isaseriousthing. Astheseconddaypassed,therainseemedtofallharder. AndstillGrandaddyBeaverkeptputtingnewsticksontheroofofhishouseandplasteringmudoverthem. AndatlastBrownieBeaverbegantothinkthatperhapstheoldgentlemanwasright,afterall,andthatmaybeeverybodyelsewaswrong. SoBrowniewenthomeandsettowork.Andallhisneighborsatoncebegantosmileathim. ButBrownieBeaverdidn’tmindthat. “Myroofneededmending,anyhow,”hesaid.“Andifweshouldhaveafreshet.I’llbereadyforit.Andifwedon’thaveone,there’llbenoharmdone.” Now,allthistimethewaterhadbeenrisingslowly. Butthatwasnomorethaneveryoneexpected,sinceitwasrainingsohard. Butwhenthesecondnightcame,thewaterbegantoriseveryfast. Itrosesoquicklythatseveralfamiliesfoundtheirbedroomfloorsunderwateralmostbeforetheyknewit. ThenoldGrandaddyBeaverwentthroughthevillageandstoppedateverydoor. “Whatdoyouthinkaboutitnow?”heasked.“Isitafreshetorisn’tit?” InthehouseswherethewaterhadclimbedabovethebedroomfloorsthepeopleallagreedthatitwasafreshetandthatGrandaddyBeaverhadbeenrightallthetime. Buttherewerestillplentyofpeoplewhothoughttheoldgentlemanwasmistaken. “Thewaterwon’tcomeanyhigher,”theysaid.“Itneverhas,atthistimeofyear.”Buttheylookedabitworried,inspiteofwhattheysaid. “It’sa-goingtobetheworstfreshetthat’shappenedsinceyouwereborn,”theircallercroaked.“Youmarkmywords!” WhenhecametoBrownieBeaver’shouseGrandaddyfoundthattherewasoneperson,atleast,thathadtakenhisadvice. “Iseeyou’reallreadyforthefreshet!”theoldgentlemanremarked.“Theylaughedatme;butIwasright,”hesaid. “Theylaughedatme,too,”BrownieBeavertoldhim. “There’snobodyinthisvillagethat’lllaughagaintonight,”Grandaddysaidverysolemnly,“forthere’sa-goingtobeafloodbeforemorning.” 
