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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,
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.
~ Anon ~
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