The
Rainbow Fish By Marcus Pfister
Far
out in the sea lived a fish. No ordinary fish however. He was the most
beautiful fish in the entire ocean. His scales shimmered with all the colors of
the rainbow.
The
other fish admired his colourful scales and called him Rainbow Fish. “Come on, play
with us, Rainbow Fish But Rainbow Fish was proud and swam past them.
A
little blue fish swam along behind him. “Rainbow Fish,wait for me! Please give
me one of your glittering scales. They are so beautiful and you have so many.”
“Give
you one of my scales? What are you thinking of?” cried Rainbow Fish. “Get away
from me!” Shocked, the little blue fish swam away.
Still excited, he told his friends about
it. From then on, nobody wanted anymore
to do with Rainbow Fish. They turned away when he swam past them.
What
use were Rainbow Fish’s beautiful scales if they were no longer admired by
anyone? Now he was the loneliest fish in the entire ocean. One day he poured
out his troubles to the starfish. “I’m so beautiful. Why doesn’t anyone like
me?”
In
a cave behind the coral reef lives the wise octopus. Perhaps he can help you,”
the starfish advised him.
Rainbow
Fish found the cave. It was very dark here. He could hardly see anything. Then
suddenly he saw two glowing eyes.
“I
have been expecting you,” said the octopus in a deep voice. “The waves have
told me your story. Listen to my advice: give every fish one of your glittering
scales. Then you may not be the most beautiful fish in the ocean, but you will be
happy again..”
“But…”
Rainbow Fish began to say, but the octopus had already disappeared into a dark
cloud of ink. Give away my scales? My beautiful glittering scales,? thought Rainbow
Fish. “Never! No! How could I be happy
without them?
Suddenly
he felt the light touch of a fin. The little blue fish was back! “Rainbow Fish,
please, don’t be angry. Please give me
one of your glittering scales, a small one” Rainbow Fish hesitated. A very very
small scale, he thought. Why not? I will hardly miss it.
Rainbow
Fish carefully pulled off the very smallest of his glittering scales. Here,
I’ll give you this one. But now leave me in peace.
“Thank
you! Thank you very much!” burbled the little blue fish excitedly. You are
kind, Rainbow Fish. Rainbow Fish felt quite strange. He watched the little blue
fish for a long time as he swam away happily through the water with his
glittering scale, turning this way and that.
The little blue fish darted through the water with
his glittering scale. Soon, Rainbow Fish was surrounded by other fish. All of
them wanted to have a glittering scale. Rainbow Fish shared out his scales and
he felt happier and happier as he did so. Finally Rainbow Fish had only one
glittering scale left. He had given away all the others. And he was
happy, happier than he had ever been.
“Come on Rainbow Fish, come and play with us!”
called the others.
“I’m
coming,” said Rainbow Fish and went happily with the other fish.
