"Clearly I
am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for
grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the
countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."
Blue
interrupted:
"You only
think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that
is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky
gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be
nothing."
Yellow chuckled:
"You are
all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun
is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a
sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no
fun."
Orange started
next to blow her trumpet:
"I am the
color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve
the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of
carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the
time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking
that no one gives another thought to any of you."
Red could stand
it no longer he shouted out:
"I am the
ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and
of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood.
Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion
and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."
Purple rose up
to his full height:
He was very tall
and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings,
chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and
wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."
Finally Indigo
spoke,
much more
quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: "Think
of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all
become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and
deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner
peace."
And so the
colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their
quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of
bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down
relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another
for comfort.
In the midst of
the clamor, rain began to speak:
"You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate
the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique
and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."
Doing as they
were told, the colors united and joined hands.
The rain
continued:
"From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a
great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow
is a sign of hope for tomorrow."
And so, whenever
a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us
remember to appreciate one another.
