At last a great flash of Lightning struck a dry tree and set it on fire, and the Wind blew the clouds away for a while, so that the Rain might not put the fire out. "I'll show them something," said Heat, as the tree and the bushes about it began to crackle and blaze. As soon as Wind blew the storm away, the cave people, not hearing the Thunder any more, came out to see what was going on. When they saw the blazing tree, they were at first very much frightened, for they had never seen Fire so close at hand before. So they chattered and pointed, afraid to go near it. After a while, when they saw that the fire did them no harm, they went closer, and gathered about the roaring flames, watching them as they devoured the dry leaves and branches. Then Mother Nature told Wind to blow the flames gently toward the cave people, and the heat from the flames warmed them, and they liked it. So they came nearer, and at last a boy picked up a blazing branch that fell near him, because it was red and pretty. But he dropped it again very quickly, you may be sure, and ran howling with pain to his mother, his burnt fingers in his mouth. "I am sorry," laughed Heat, dancing among the flames, "but I had to let you see that I can burn as well as warm you. So you had better treat me with care." Soon the flames spread, and other trees took fire, and the flames roared and danced down the valley like mad, their red tongues licking up everything that came in their way. Some of the older cave men went to the place where the fire had first started and gathered about the hot coals, enjoying the warmth. But soon they saw that the fire was dying out, so they began to throw leaves and twigs and branches on it, and every time it blazed up they shouted with joy. When Mother Nature saw that the cave people liked the new thing she had sent them, she told Wind to blow the storm back again, so that Rain might fall on the blazing forest, and put out the flames before the trees were all burned up. "But do not wet the little fire the cave people have kept burning among the rocks," she said, "for if you do, they will not be able to light it again. And I wish, Cold, that you would blow with all your might." The cave people, gathered about the fire, felt the cold wind on their backs, and because the fire kept them warm, they liked it, and put more and more wood on it to keep it alive. Whenever it died down, and they felt cold again, they brought more branches and twigs. After a time, night came, and the bright yellow flames pleased them so much that they danced about the fire, chattering with delight. Presently they grew sleepy, and lay down beside the fire, because it was warmer there, than it was inside the caves. And they went to sleep and forgot all about the fire, so that, when morning came, they woke up, chilled by the cold, to find that their fire was gone.