A
tale of acceptance and diversity,
adapted from Native American legend ...
It
is said that once the different colors of the world started
to quarrel. All claimed 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, 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 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 — 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 full height and yelled 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, quietly, 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."
So,
whenever a good rain washes the world, and a rainbow
appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one
another.
The
legends of many cultures see the rainbow as a kind of
bridge between heaven and earth.
One of the most beautiful sights in nature, the rainbow
has become in western culture a symbol of
renewed hope; something lucky to look upon. The North
American Catawba Indians of the Southeast
and the Tlingit of the Northwest both regard it as the
bridge between the living and the dead.
The
Arawak Indians of South America recognize the rainbow
as a fortunate sign if it's
seen over the ocean, while tribes in northeastern Siberia
see it as the tongue of the sun.
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