The Colour of Friendship

 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, and 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 am the colour 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 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."

And 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 middle of the quarrel, 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 and became a beautiful rainbow.