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The Color of Friendship

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 life and of hope. I was chosen for
grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all ani-
mals 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 con-
sider 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 yel-
low. 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, pump-
kins, 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 cho-
sen me for I am the sign of authority and
wisdom. People do not question me! They lis-
ten 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 your-
selves, 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.