Once upon a time the colors of the world
started to quarrel:
all claimed that they were the best,
the most important, the most useful, the favorite.


GREEN said: "Clearly I am the most important.
I am the sign of light and hope. I was chosen
for grass, leaves, trees--without me, all animals
would die. Look out 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 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, gaity and warmth to 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 temper.
"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 pawpaws.
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! Lifes blood! I am the color of danger
and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause.
I bring fire to the blood! I am the color of passion
and of love, the red rose, the poppy and the poinsettia.
Without me the earth would be as empty as the moon."

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 a 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,
all the colors went on boasting and quarreling,
each convinced of their own superiority.
Soon, 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 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 colors 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.