In this, the last of the Rainbow series, Rainbow learns the hard way that it’s not much fun to be the strongest, most beautiful butterfly if you do not have friends to share it with. After a time of showing off and a little taunting of his own, Rainbow finally learns the Golden Rule. He must treat other butterflies the way he would like to be treated. Follow Rainbow as he tries to rebuild friendships and trust that he has broken through all his prideful acts.
Rainbow is proud of his beautiful wings and ability to fly, but hes showing off just a little too much. He thinks its payback time for Lightning, the butterfly who used to taunt him. But is this kind of revenge really the right thing to do? Follow Rainbow as he learns a hard lesson on pride.
Squirrelly loved to play. In fact, there wasn’t a squirrel around who knew more acorn games than he did. He loved to make all the other squirrels laugh, and that he did time after time. All his friends would say, “Squirrelly, you’re the funniest squirrel around!” What he didn’t like though was working to store up for winter. ‘I have plenty of time,’ he would say when his father would warn him winter was coming soon.
Being the last caterpillar in his class to receive his wings causes poor Rainbow’s classmates to tease him. He dreams of having beautiful colors and flying with his friends. But his mom tells him to be patient and look for things that only a caterpillar can do. Follow Rainbow along on this adventure in Rainbow’s Promise.
Margaret Welwood, Scissortown
A strategy for contentment and fulfillment
It’s not fun to be teased because you are “less” than others, and it’s not fun to wait for things to get better, either. But Rainbow doesn’t just wait; he learns. With courage, compassion and ingenuity, he reaches out to those whose predicaments are worse than his own. Then, with his eyes finally off himself, he discovers that the promise made to him has finally come true. What a lesson for children who are disappointed with their current situation, abilities, or achievements! Rainbow did what he could when he could, following his mom’s advice and using his time wisely until he “graduated.” Mary Dalton has presented a strategy for contentment and fulfillment for all of us.
