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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 animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority1.”
Blue interrupted2：
“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 serenity3. Without my peace， you would all be nothing.”
Yellow chuckled4：
“You are all so serious. I bring laughter， gaiety5， 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 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 papayas. I don’t hang around6 all the time， but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset， my beauty is so striking7 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 pomp8： “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 Indigo9 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 superficial10. I represent thought and reflection， twilight11 and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast， for prayer and inner peace.”
And so the colors went on boasting12， 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 clamor13， rain began to speak：
“You foolish colors， fighting amongst yourselves， each trying to dominate14 the rest. Don’t you know that you were each made for a special purpose， unique15 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.
从前，世界上的各种颜色开始争吵不休。每一种颜色都说自己是最好的，最重要的，最有用的和最讨人喜欢的。
绿色说：
“显然，我是最重要的。我是生命和希望的标志。我被选作青草，树木以及叶子的颜色。没有了我，所有的动物都会死去。展望田野吧，你会看到，你会看到我是主色。”
蓝色打断了它的话：
“你只考虑了地上，想想天空和海洋吧。水才是生命的基础呀，云彩把水分从深邃的大海带到了天空。天空给了人们空间、和平和宁谧。要是没有我蓝色的平静，你们所有颜色都将什么也不是。”
黄色咯咯地笑道：
“你们都太严肃了。我给这个世界带来了笑声、欢乐和温暖。太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，星星是黄色的。每当你注视一朵向日葵花，你眼前的整个世界都在绽放微笑。要是没有我，世界就没有欢乐。”
橙色马上开始自吹自擂：
“我是健康和力量的颜色。我可能很罕見，但我很珍贵，因为我满足了人类的生存需求。我身上有最重要的维生素，想一想胡萝卜、南瓜、橙子、芒果和木瓜就知道啦。我虽不是到处可见，但每当日升日落，我为天空上色时，人们看到我的美惊艳绝伦，根本想不起你们中的任何一个。”
红色再也忍不下去了，他喊道：
“我是你们所有人的主宰。我是血液——生命的血液！我是危险和勇敢的颜色。我愿意为了一个目标而斗争。我把烈火带入血液。如果没有我，地球会像月球一样毫无生气。我是激情与爱的颜色，是红玫瑰、一品红和罂粟花之色。”
紫色站起身来。他个头很高，讲话掷地有声。
“我是皇室和权力的颜色。国王、首领、主教总是很青睐我，因为我是权威和智慧的象征。人们从不质疑我！他们总是听我的话，服从我的命令。”
最后，靛青说话了，他的声音比其他人都轻，但却比其他人都斩钉截铁：
“你们想想我。我是沉默的颜色。你们很少注意我，但少了我，你们都会变得肤浅。我代表着思考与反省，暮色和深海。你们需要我来平衡色彩和对比反差，需要我来做祷告，获得内心的平。”
就这样，所有的颜色继续自我吹捧，个个都对自己的优越性深信不疑。他们的争吵声变得越来越大。突然，空中出现一道耀眼的闪电，接着雷声轰鸣，隆隆作响。大雨开始毫不留情地倾盆而下，各种颜色恐惧地蜷缩在一起，彼此依偎，寻求安慰。
在一片喧嚣声中，雨开始说话了：
“你们这些愚蠢的颜色，彼此相互争斗，每个人都想支配别人。你们难道你们不知道每个颜色都有自己专属的特殊意义，都是独一无二、与众不同的吗？携起手来吧。”
颜色们按照雨的话，团结在一起，携起手来。
雨接着说：
“从现在开始，每次下雨的时候你们都要变成一个巨大的彩色弓形横跨天空，以证明你们能够和平相处。彩虹就是未来希望的标志。” 所以，每当大雨冲刷这个世界时，彩虹都会出现在天空。让我们记住彼此要珍惜。
Notes：
1. majority n. 多数 2. interrupt v. 打断（别人的话等）；阻止
3. serenity n. 宁静；平静；安详 4. chuckle v. 咯咯笑；轻声地笑
5. gaiety n. 快乐；高兴 6. hang around 闲逛； 闲待着
7. striking adj. 引人注目的；显著的 8. pomp n. 盛况；壮丽，壮观； 虚荣，浮华；夸耀，炫耀
9. indigo n. 靛蓝色； 靛蓝
10. superficial adj. 表面（上）的；肤浅的，缺乏深度的； 一知半解的
11. twilight n. 黎明，黄昏，暮光 12. boast v. 自夸，自吹自擂
13. clamor n. 喧哗声，喧闹 14. dominate v. 支配，影响
15. unique adj. 唯一的，仅有的；独一无二的
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 majority1.”
Blue interrupted2：
“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 serenity3. Without my peace， you would all be nothing.”
Yellow chuckled4：
“You are all so serious. I bring laughter， gaiety5， 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 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 papayas. I don’t hang around6 all the time， but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset， my beauty is so striking7 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 pomp8： “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 Indigo9 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 superficial10. I represent thought and reflection， twilight11 and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast， for prayer and inner peace.”
And so the colors went on boasting12， 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 clamor13， rain began to speak：
“You foolish colors， fighting amongst yourselves， each trying to dominate14 the rest. Don’t you know that you were each made for a special purpose， unique15 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.
从前，世界上的各种颜色开始争吵不休。每一种颜色都说自己是最好的，最重要的，最有用的和最讨人喜欢的。
绿色说：
“显然，我是最重要的。我是生命和希望的标志。我被选作青草，树木以及叶子的颜色。没有了我，所有的动物都会死去。展望田野吧，你会看到，你会看到我是主色。”
蓝色打断了它的话：
“你只考虑了地上，想想天空和海洋吧。水才是生命的基础呀，云彩把水分从深邃的大海带到了天空。天空给了人们空间、和平和宁谧。要是没有我蓝色的平静，你们所有颜色都将什么也不是。”
黄色咯咯地笑道：
“你们都太严肃了。我给这个世界带来了笑声、欢乐和温暖。太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，星星是黄色的。每当你注视一朵向日葵花，你眼前的整个世界都在绽放微笑。要是没有我，世界就没有欢乐。”
橙色马上开始自吹自擂：
“我是健康和力量的颜色。我可能很罕見，但我很珍贵，因为我满足了人类的生存需求。我身上有最重要的维生素，想一想胡萝卜、南瓜、橙子、芒果和木瓜就知道啦。我虽不是到处可见，但每当日升日落，我为天空上色时，人们看到我的美惊艳绝伦，根本想不起你们中的任何一个。”
红色再也忍不下去了，他喊道：
“我是你们所有人的主宰。我是血液——生命的血液！我是危险和勇敢的颜色。我愿意为了一个目标而斗争。我把烈火带入血液。如果没有我，地球会像月球一样毫无生气。我是激情与爱的颜色，是红玫瑰、一品红和罂粟花之色。”
紫色站起身来。他个头很高，讲话掷地有声。
“我是皇室和权力的颜色。国王、首领、主教总是很青睐我，因为我是权威和智慧的象征。人们从不质疑我！他们总是听我的话，服从我的命令。”
最后，靛青说话了，他的声音比其他人都轻，但却比其他人都斩钉截铁：
“你们想想我。我是沉默的颜色。你们很少注意我，但少了我，你们都会变得肤浅。我代表着思考与反省，暮色和深海。你们需要我来平衡色彩和对比反差，需要我来做祷告，获得内心的平。”
就这样，所有的颜色继续自我吹捧，个个都对自己的优越性深信不疑。他们的争吵声变得越来越大。突然，空中出现一道耀眼的闪电，接着雷声轰鸣，隆隆作响。大雨开始毫不留情地倾盆而下，各种颜色恐惧地蜷缩在一起，彼此依偎，寻求安慰。
在一片喧嚣声中，雨开始说话了：
“你们这些愚蠢的颜色，彼此相互争斗，每个人都想支配别人。你们难道你们不知道每个颜色都有自己专属的特殊意义，都是独一无二、与众不同的吗？携起手来吧。”
颜色们按照雨的话，团结在一起，携起手来。
雨接着说：
“从现在开始，每次下雨的时候你们都要变成一个巨大的彩色弓形横跨天空，以证明你们能够和平相处。彩虹就是未来希望的标志。” 所以，每当大雨冲刷这个世界时，彩虹都会出现在天空。让我们记住彼此要珍惜。
Notes：
1. majority n. 多数 2. interrupt v. 打断（别人的话等）；阻止
3. serenity n. 宁静；平静；安详 4. chuckle v. 咯咯笑；轻声地笑
5. gaiety n. 快乐；高兴 6. hang around 闲逛； 闲待着
7. striking adj. 引人注目的；显著的 8. pomp n. 盛况；壮丽，壮观； 虚荣，浮华；夸耀，炫耀
9. indigo n. 靛蓝色； 靛蓝
10. superficial adj. 表面（上）的；肤浅的，缺乏深度的； 一知半解的
11. twilight n. 黎明，黄昏，暮光 12. boast v. 自夸，自吹自擂
13. clamor n. 喧哗声，喧闹 14. dominate v. 支配，影响
15. unique adj. 唯一的，仅有的；独一无二的