Once upon a time there was a handsome young lad who diligently toiled away at cleaning the hearth and stable of his master's humble abode. He was graceful and kind, gentle and caring; the kind of boy who when finding a small bird which had left the nest of its siblings too early and broken a wing, take it in and nurture back to health. He was loved by all around him, and had a great affinity with the animals and spirits of the woods in which he lived. He was charmed to live a special life possessing a very unique talent of rendering the most mundane imagery and visions on canvass in such a way as to bring warmth and youth to even the most caustic of spinsters and misers.

One day there came a sudden and excited knock at the door. It was no other than the venerable wizard Arakawa who had come bearing fair tidings: that through the magic and wonder of nature there had been borne, on this very day, a beautifully colored rainbow over the River of the Nine-headed Hydra.

So with trusted canine by his side our youth quickly donned his weary travel garb and ventured out, braving wind and rain, demons and ogres to perchance catch a waning glimpse of this wondrous event with his own two eyes.

Through flood and fire, storm and dark forests of darker, unknown creatures of the night he traveled. The way was dangerous but, claimed Arakawa, the reward was great! When at last this fair lad had reached the destination described to him by the wizened Arakawa he lay down his pack and took out his parchment and inks. For what should he behold but the most magnificent array of heaven-like glow throughout the afternoon sky as never-before seen! A painting of the gods, for surely this must have been he declared with shortened breath!

With the greatest desire to capture this supernatural gift such that generations to come might also take part in such splendor and beauty our pauper took great care to render forever the sight that stood before his eyes in the utmost complete concentration. This was a rainbow for rainbows to be envious of!

As you may well imagine, to do so in such great peril was no small feat. For surrounding our young man were the denizens of evil, the dark lord's minions and other creatures too frightening to speak of. Yet on he persisted as if there were nothing more important than this "Play of God" opening before his very eyes; transfixed by the beauty, eternally blessed.

At last, as the sun faded behind another cloud of the oncoming storm his work was complete. In order to prevent the enemies of the sunlight from stealing off with his treasure fit-for-kings in the night the lad lovingly folded it in oiled skins he had received from his father so many years ago, tied it with the string used to tie back his flowing chestnut hair and under his garments he secured it. So done, he struck off for home as soon as he could.

Along the way, while crossing a ford the foul weather suddenly turned for the worse and storm bearing a wall of water came raging down the river, only to sweep all in it's path to the dark bridges of the nether world. Our young hero fought bravely the minions of the night, sweeping them away from him with his love of life and goodness. Yet in the end, though he was braver than most and fought more valiantly than the king's own special vanguard, he was taken from this world by the evil hydra from which the waters take their accursed name.

On a bright sunny morning of the days following the heinous storm which had taken the lives of many of the animals of the forests and not a few of the townsfolk living near the river, there was a young maiden sitting at the water's edge. She was throwing daisies into the lazy eddies that tickled her feet, watching the birds dip down for snacks of snail, and singing love songs to the heroes of yore and the fair spirits of the wood. As she was looking out over the water, bedazzled by the crystal sparkles of the sun's reflection of the pristine surface she caught sight of something bobbing in a current; trapped under the overhanging brush nearby. Risking the ire of her nanny's scolding for soiling her virgin-white dress she waded into the warm and gentle waters of the river to retrieve this curious bundle. Taking it back to the bank, and laying it out in the sun to dry she carefully untied the thick, strong twine keeping it together and peeled back the oilskins which protected her treasure.

When the maiden's beautiful innocent eyes beheld the wonders that lay before her, her heart wept with joy! For never in her life had she seen such glorious color and liveliness, such beauty and passion, such a love-of-life and the things of goodness as were depicted in the rainbow that lay gently on the soft green grass beneath her inquisitive touch.

2002/11/02
Cameron Switzer

This rainbow is dedicated to my loving wife, Mayu who sometimes works so hard she misses the the little miracles that Mother Nature tosses our way.