Once upon a time the colours of the world started to
quarrel.
All claimed that they were the best, the most important, the most
useful, and the favourite.
GREEN said:
"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 colour 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 bring
fire into the blood. I am willing to fight for a cause. I am the
colour of danger and of bravery. Without me, the earth would be as
empty as the moon. I am the colour 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 colour 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 colour 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."
So the colours went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own
superiority.
Their quarrelling became louder and louder.
Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening. Thunder
rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly.
The colours crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for
comfort.
In the midst of the clamour, rain began to speak: "You foolish
colours, 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 colours 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 colour 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.