Fairy tales for young and old ~ English version

The Rainbow Crown

(Storytober - Day 28 - Rainbow)

In a faraway land, where even the sun seemed gray and the sky wore a shroud of ashen mist, there existed a legend of a crown so wondrous that it could bring back the lost colors of the world. It was known as the Rainbow Crown, said to hold all the hues of creation within its shimmering stones. Many had sought it over the ages, yet none had returned. But in a small village, nestled at the edge of a colorless wood, there lived a young adventurer named Ruven. Ruven was known for their courage and a heart that yearned to see the world as it was in the old tales: bright, vibrant, and full of life.

One day, as Ruven wandered along the withered riverbank, they came upon an old storyteller, who sat with a faded cloak draped over his frail shoulders. His eyes, however, sparkled like gems, hinting at the wonders he had seen in his youth.

"Tell me, good sir," Ruven asked, kneeling before him, "is the Rainbow Crown real, or but a fancy to amuse children?"

The old man's voice was like the rustling of dry leaves. "It is real, young one. But the path to it is not marked by roads or maps. It lies at the world's end, atop a hidden mountain where the seven skies meet. Yet, to claim the crown is no small task. For it is not simply found, but earned."

With this in mind, Ruven set out the next morning, following what little guidance the elder had given. For many days and nights, they traveled through lands so pale and wan that even flowers seemed like ghosts of themselves. At last, Ruven arrived at the foothills of a mountain hidden in perpetual mist. As they climbed, a faint glow appeared overhead—a glimmer of color that grew more vivid with each step, until Ruven reached a stone archway veiled in glistening raindrops, where the first trial awaited.

Beneath the arch sat a spirit, robed in a gown of twilight hues, who held a shard of the purest red light. "To pass," the spirit whispered, "you must show the courage to face your true self." It held out a mirror, and Ruven saw not their reflection, but all their fears and faults laid bare—times they had faltered, love they had withheld, dreams they had doubted.

Yet, despite the heavy weight of these revelations, Ruven did not flinch. "These are parts of me," they said softly, "but they do not bind me."

The spirit bowed its head and offered the shard of red light. "Then you have earned the first color," it said, fading into the air.

Ruven journeyed onward, meeting six more spirits along the way, each guarding a color of the rainbow: orange for joy, yellow for hope, green for growth, blue for wisdom, indigo for mystery, and violet for love. Each spirit posed a challenge, asking Ruven to relive moments from their life: to find joy in sorrow, to kindle hope in despair, to grow from pain, to seek wisdom in silence, to embrace mystery without fear, and to cherish love in all its forms, unburdened by judgment.

With each trial overcome, a shard of light was bestowed upon them, until Ruven held all seven in their hands. As they reached the mountain's peak, the shards melded into a radiant crown, the Rainbow Crown itself, shimmering with all the colors Ruven had gathered. They placed it upon their head, and in that moment, the world came alive.

The skies burst open in brilliant blue, the trees glowed green, and the rivers sparkled like liquid silver. The fields blossomed in hues never before seen, and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of flowers unfurling their petals to drink in the sun.

Yet, as Ruven stood marveling at the sight, they felt a tug at their heart. For though the land was now awash in color, the people below remained draped in the shadows of their own divisions and sorrows. Ruven descended the mountain and spoke to the gathered crowd, who looked on with awe at the vibrant world around them.

"The Rainbow Crown is not simply an object of beauty," Ruven said, their voice clear as the morning sky. "It is a promise of what we may become. True color lies not just in the world, but in each of us—in our acceptance of one another, in our courage to love freely, and in our willingness to embrace all that is different and wondrous."

The people listened, and slowly, the grayness began to melt away from their hearts. They opened themselves to love unbounded, to friendships across old barriers, and to the richness found in the many shades of life. As they did, the colors that Ruven had restored to the world grew even more vivid, as if the Rainbow Crown itself shone brighter with each act of kindness and understanding.

From that day on, Ruven was known not only as the restorer of the Rainbow Crown but also as the one who reminded the world that true color comes from the heart's acceptance of all love and life's boundless diversity. And so, the tale of the Rainbow Crown lived on, in songs and stories passed down through the ages, like a thread of light woven through the fabric of time.