All From the Same Rainbow

In the farthest corner of Imaginaria is the tiny kingdom of Buburubia, where the little purple Buburubs live. The Buburubs are a roly-poly sort, and when something tickles their fancy, they laugh so hard they fall down on the ground and kick their stubby little legs. A Buburub can make a game of anything, but their favorite games are "Chase Your Own Tail Till The Room Starts Spinning" and "Belly Bumping." Buburubs are so jolly that they even have fun working. Nothing pleases a Buburub more than a good work song, and just now, a little stout fellow is singing in a high, clear voice:

"Rubidy, Bubidy, Bubidy, Rub ...
Moppity, Sloppity, Scrubity, Dub ...
Happily, Happily, Working Away,
Rubidy, Bubidy, Workidy Day."

There is a very good reason why the Buburubs are so full of joy, and have been for a thousand years... It is because a thousand years ago, something very magical happened. A thousand and two years ago, however, you would not have said that the Buburubs were joyful at all. As a matter of fact, they were quite grumpy. Yes, indeed, grumpy and sour-faced is what they were.

They complained about everything. They complained about work, the complained about the food, they even complained about sleeping... but mostly they complained about each other. They were in such a habit of complaining and name calling that a terrible thing happened. They started saying mean things about anyone who wasn't exactly the same as they were. Now, Buburubs have always been almost exactly alike, except for one little difference-their color. Some Buburubs were lavender, others reddish-purple, and some were blue-violet. The Lavender Buburubs called the Reddish-Purple Buburubs "stupid," and the Reddish-Purple Buburubs called the Blue-Violet Buburubs "lazy," and the Blue-Violet Buburubs called the Lavender Buburubs "stupid and lazy." The list of mean names grew and grew, the name-calling turned into fighting, and soon it wasn't safe to walk about any more.

One day, the Lavender Buburubs decided to build another village just for themselves. When the Reddish-Purple Buburubs found out, they too wanted a village all their own. Of course, the Blue-Violet Buburubs wanted their village as well, so they all left and went their separate ways.

Soon, each group of Buburubs had their own village. Each one looked very clean and new, and they were all very proud of themselves. Each boasted of having the best this and the sturdiest that. Indeed, no one had any reason to complain about a thing, and that made them BORED! So... at night, they would sneak over to each others' villages and throw tweezle eggs at passersby, then run as fast as their little legs could take them back to their own villages. This just made them all hate each other more, and the attacks become more and more dangerous. Buburubs began to carry rock slingers and thorn darts.

War was just about to be declared when a thing NO Buburub ever expected to happen—happened... something much more dangerous and scary than rock slingers and thorn darts. That something was a giant BEAST—a Beast with a spike swirling out of its head and eyes full of fire ... a Beast roaming throughout the entire kingdom, striking fear into the hearts of every little Buburub.

The terrified Buburubs left their new villages and ran as fast as their stubby legs could carry them, until they reached the Caves of the Crystal Mountains. Lavender, Reddish-Purple and Blue-Violet Buburubs were all crowded together in one place. It was cramped and cold and no one had remembered to bring any food, but for once, they weren't complaining at all; no, they weren't even grumpy. All they wanted was to escape from the terrible Beast!

For three days and nights the Buburubs talked about how to kill the Beast, and on the third night, they had a plan...

The biggest, strongest Buburubs climbed high above the Caves and hid behind some big, loose crystals. They had decided that when the Beast came, they would give a big shove and hope the sharply pointed spears of giant crystals would plunge into the Beast and kill it. In order to get the Beast to come to the Caves, however, the other Buburubs started yelling as loud as they could. The yelling from the Caves was so loud that the Beast heard it all the way by the river. The Beast ran up to the entrance of the cave...

"Push, push! The Beast is here!" shouted the Buburub who was in a good spot to see. They pushed and pushed, and with the last push, all the giant crystals fell toward the great Beast.

No sooner had the sharp point of the crystal touched its skin than the Beast vanished into thin air! All the Buburubs gasped in shock. They were not at all sure what had happened, and were starting to come out of the cave to take a look, when a HUGE, deep voice rumbled and echoed everywhere... "Sooooo..........." it said, "You want to kill me because I'm different. All right, then..." and suddenly the voice changed to a small, high, melodic voice that sweetly sang, "Now we are all the same."

Right before their astonished eyes appeared a handsome little Buburub just like them. The new visitor smiled and gently said, "I am only a messenger of The Imaginarian, and have come to tell you that your colors are all from the same rainbow, no matter what the shade. You are made of the same light." With those words, their lavender, reddish-purple and blue-violet bodies became invisible, and the cave was filled with light. At first they felt only warmth, but then they felt love for the light... then for each other. They saw how foolish they had been, and promised themselves that they would never even think such naught thoughts about each other again.

A tiny bubble of joy started growing in the heart of each Buburub. The joy became a giggle that made them tingle all over. Soon the giggle turned into a chuckle, the chuckle into a laugh, and then the laugh got bigger and bigger until all the Buburubs fell down on the ground, kicking their stubby little legs.

Just as quickly as they had become invisible, they were back to normal again (but definitely NOT the same inside). The handsome little Buburub was gone, and in his place stood a Great Magical Unicorn whose golden horn sparkled in the rainbow light.

"The light has washed your little eyes. You now see me as I truly am, and can see each other as you truly are. We are ALL the same." With those words, the beautiful Unicorn reared up and galloped across the river into the mist.

The Buburubs still have a giggle inside them all the time, and from time to time, the Great Magical Unicorn appears to wish them well.

Tales From IMAGINARIA:

IMAGINARIA and MacMusic Magic are OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!
The Rest of Red's Worlds Will Soon Be Ready

If interested in my artistic partner's illustrations or artist's proofs,
E-mail me with a snail-mail address, & she'll have some info wing its way to you.

macisme@primenet.com

All From the Same Rainbow

Tales From IMAGINARIA:

IMAGINARIA and MacMusic Magic are OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!The Rest of Red's Worlds Will Soon Be Ready

IMAGINARIA and MacMusic Magic are OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!
The Rest of Red's Worlds Will Soon Be Ready