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  • The Rainbow Bird - A Latin American Indian Folk Tale

  • Long long ago, long before men or even the animals swarmed the earth

  • At that time, all the birds lived in one huge forest

  • There were many varities of birds and they all lived peacefully together

  • However, you and I were arounded at that time

  • we would have a hard time recognizing and identifing any of them

  • You see in those days, none of the birds or any of the bright and the beautiful color that make them so distinctive today

  • They all were shaped brown and grey and did little to brighten the forest

  • And that, if it wasn't for the flowers that bloomed in all these splendid colors,

  • the forest would have been a very dull place indeed

  • Some of the birds tried their best to brighten up their looks and added a little color to their lives

  • There, that should do it!

  • How about it? Not bad huh?

  • The birds tried everything they could think of to give themselves color

  • They tried to dye themselves with berry

  • They tried to rub with green leaves

  • But nothing would last and finally they began to believe that once a grey bird, always a grey bird

  • It just seemed ashamed that with all the beautiful colors of nature

  • The bird was blessed with only grey and brown

  • Every time the birds saw king butterflies or golden oranges, it only made them sadder

  • They couldn't understand why they had been so unlucky

  • Every day in the late afternoon, dark cloud would cover their tropical rain forest

  • Bringing rain and thunder to the birds' home

  • But it couldn't last long, and when the cloud would disappear

  • a marvellous rainbow would appear

  • The birds of the forest waited eagerly each day to catch the glimpse of the rainbow

  • The butterflies and flowers were beautiful in their own way,

  • but nothing in nature could match the radiant beauty of the rainbow

  • To the bird, the rainbow was their own special treasure

  • And everytime it appeared, they wished with all their might,

  • someday they too would be able to share some of the nature's wonderful colors

  • And then, one day, when the clouds departed, the rainbow appeared as always,

  • But something seemed very wrong

  • Huh, did you see that?

  • The rainbow was somehow gotten dirty

  • These beautiful colors went out dark and black

  • The birds of the forest could not believe their eyes

  • They were so look forward to seeing rainbow after the rain

  • But what would happen now?

  • I wonder what could have happened to it

  • I wonder it caught a cold or something

  • Don't be silly, never heard about rainbow catching a cold

  • Well, you know you never can tell

  • They're watching and hoping that whatever was taking away the rainbow's color would disappear

  • anything seemed to be getting worst

  • until all of the sudden

  • the mysterious holes began to appear all over the rainbow

  • Oh my goodness

  • the birds were heartbroken, what was happening to their treasured rainbow

  • Suddenly, a golden light appeared over head

  • There above the forest flew of a magnificent multi-color magic bird

  • It was a phoenix

  • The phoenix is a legendary bird with tremendous and mysterious power

  • Hi friends, what my heavenly duty is to protect the rainbow

  • I have come to ask your help

  • Our rainbow had been attacked by roaches

  • I tried my best, but there are far too many of them for me to handle alone

  • If we don't act quickly

  • I am afraid they will not stop until they have eaten every last piece of our rainbow

  • What do you say? Would you help? It is our only chance to save the rainbow

  • You can count on me, let's go

  • Those courageous birds quickly volunteered to follow the phoenix

  • but not all the birds were so eager to help

  • It is none of our business

  • The phoenix was very disappointed to hear such talk

  • There was no time to lose

  • So he flew off leading those birds to the rainbow

  • Higher and higher they flew and they're ready themselves to win back their beloved rainbow from the wicked roaches

  • At last they flew here, they began to fear that they were already too late

  • The rainbow was full of holes and the roaches showed no sign of stopping

  • Oh dear! Look at those horrible roaches

  • They're so many

  • They're everywhere, they're everywhere

  • They were badly out numbered, but the courageous birds fought valiantly

  • The battle was on and on

  • And eventually, both roaches and birds began to drop from exhaustion

  • But the birds would not give up and finally they had lead their way to the rainbow itself

  • A few roaches were still ate on

  • At last, the battle was over and the birds had won

  • The birds were overjoyed their victory

  • And then before their weary eyes

  • The rainbow renewed itself and showed as brightly as ever

  • To the bird, it seemed even more wonderous than before

  • Let's go, let's go

  • All the birds flew up to the rainbow

  • And when they did, the magical thing happened

  • And each bird passed through the rainbow

  • its feathers were changed into one of the rainbow's many wonderous colors

  • I look like butterfly

  • As for your reward, you shall all have a return from the rainbow

  • The rainbow bird couldn't have been happier

  • for years they have wished and waited for this day and now

  • their dream had come true

  • But remember, not all the birds went to help the phoenix to defend the rainbow

  • Those that stayed behind for laziness or selfishness were still very plain and common

  • So you can imagine their suprise and shame when the others returned from the rainbow in all these splendid colors and designs

  • They had learnt their lesson to help their friends in need

  • But it was too late

  • If they have gone to help

  • they could have returned from the rainbow just as colorful as and as handsome as the other

  • And that is why to these days you can find both,

  • birds of many sparkling colors and those still very drear and very plain

  • So the next time, you look outside

  • why don't you try to find those birds that flew through the rainbow

The Rainbow Bird - A Latin American Indian Folk Tale

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