the midday sun
Far on into May the meadows were still yellow ; only here and there on the sunny leas was there any appearance of green . But if you lay down upon the earth you could see a multitude of little shoots -- some thick , others as thin as green darning-needles -- which thrust their heads cautiously up through the mould . But the north wind swept so coldly over them that they turned yellow at the tips , and looked as if they would like to creep back again . But that they could not do ; so they stood still and waited , only sprouting ever so little in the midday sun . The mallard was right ; it was rain they wanted . And at last it came -- cold in the beginning , but gradually warmer ; and when it was over the sun came out in earnest . And now you would scarcely have known it again ; it shone warmly , right from the early morning till the late evening , so that the nights were mild and moist .