The Color of Friendship
佚名 / Anonymous
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 most beautiful. The most 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 majority.”
Blue interrupted:
“You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. 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 the 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 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 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 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.” And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, to let us remember to appreciate one another.
很久以前，世界上的各种颜色起了争执，每种颜色都自诩是最好、最重要、最有用、最漂亮、最受人青睐的。
绿色说：
“很显然，我是最重要的,我是生命和希望的象征。小草，树木和树叶都是绿色的。没有我，所有的动物都会死亡。环顾乡村的景色，我占着色彩的主导地位。”
蓝色打断绿色的话：
“你就只看到了大地，瞧瞧天空和海洋吧。天空代表着广阔、平和与静谧。而海洋是生命的起源，生命所必需的水分正是由海水蒸发凝成云团，然后形成降雨而得。没有象征和平的蓝色，一切都将是虚无的。”
黄色咯咯地笑道：
“你们过于严肃了。只有我才能给世界带来欢笑、愉悦和温暖。看看吧，太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，就连星星也是黄色的。每次你看向日葵时，整个世界都笑了。没有黄色，欢乐就不复存在。”
橙色也开始吹嘘起来：
“我是健康和力量的象征。橙色比较罕见，加上我尽心尽力地满足人们的需求，因此，我就显得特别珍贵。最重要的维他命都是橙色，比如，胡萝卜、南瓜、橘子、芒果和番木瓜等。然而，我并不是随时都见得到的，只在日出或日落时，我会给天空镀上金色。这种美丽奇特的色彩使其他颜色大为逊色。”
红色再也按捺不住了，大喊道：
“我是色彩之王。红色，血一般的颜色，生命的色彩！我象征着危难和勇敢，我让血液燃烧沸腾，并愿为事业勇猛奋战。没有红色，地球会如月亮般空洞、了无生气。红玫瑰、一品红和罂粟都是红的，红色就是爱之色，激情之色。”
异常高大的紫色站了起来，声如洪钟：
“紫色象征着皇室和权利。我是权威和智慧的标志，因而国王、领袖和主教都以我为代表色。人们从不对我产生质疑，相反，他们听命并服从我。”
最后，靛蓝色开口了，语气较其他颜色平和了许多，但同样很坚定：
“想想我吧。我代表安静。几乎没人注意到我，但没有我，你们都变得肤浅。我象征思索和反省，曙光和深水。我能使你们的色调和谐，对比鲜明，并且我也能做祈祷，平和心态。”
颜色们还在吹捧自己，都坚信自己是最棒的。他们的争吵声越来越大。忽然，一道闪电划过天空，雷声滚滚而来，大雨倾盆而下。颜色们惊恐万分，蜷缩一团，彼此寻求慰藉。
喧闹声中，雨说道：
“你们这些愚蠢的家伙，为了统领他人就相互攻击。每种颜色都有特殊的意义，都是独一无二、与众不同的，这你们都不知道吗？现在，你们手拉着手，到我这来。”
照雨的吩咐，颜色们手牵着手。
雨又说道：
“从现在开始，只要下雨，每种颜色都要横跨天空，形成一个七彩的弓环，这道彩虹就代表你们能和平相处，同时也预示着明天的希望。”因此，每场及时雨清洗整个人间后，一道彩虹就横挂于天空——这让我们记住了一个道理：要学会彼此欣赏。
记忆填空
1.“You only think about the , but consider the sky and the . The sky gives space and peace and serenity. It is the that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep . Without my peace, you would all be .”
2. of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don’t hang around all the time, but I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my is so striking that no one gives another thought to of you.
3. Doing they were told, the united and joined hands.
佳句翻译
1. 每种颜色都自诩是最好、最重要、最有用、最漂亮、最受人青睐的。
2. 看看吧，太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，就连星星也是黄色的。
3. 每种颜色都有特殊的意义，都是独一无二、与众不同的，这你们都不知道吗？
短语应用
1. Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel.
start to do：开始做某事
2. I don’t hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset.
all the time：始终，一直