Posted on Sunday, 18 May 2003
It was raining. For hours the gardens of Pemberley were bathed in a warm summer's rain. The sky was heavily clouded though not dark, bright thunderbolts enlightened the grounds regularly. Three little children stood in the big hall of the main house, pressing their little noses against the glass of the mighty windows, totally mesmerized by the spectacle of nature. All three of them preferred the gardens to their wonderful toy-room; it had been about a week since they had been out last because of the thunderstorms. At first they had been fascinated by nature's power, now they were annoyed by it and waited desperately for the sun to reappear. Emma, the eldest, tapped over to her mother who was sitting by the fireplace reading a book.
Mrs. Darcy took delight in being with her children; she preferred their company to many adults, let alone the balls and soirees she was forced to attend regularly. Marriage had not altered her though she had settled for a peaceful life with her husband and her beloved children. Stroking her abdomen she could already feel it raising, her fourth child was to be born in four months.
"Mama, when will it stop raining? Emma wants to go outside! No more rain, Mama!" Emma wailed.
Elizabeth put away her book and lifted her daughter up; she made herself comfortable on her mother's lap. Yes, the rain had been oppressing to her mind as well even though she knew that their tenants welcomed the rain for their crops.
"Darling, nature needs the rain; just as you need your water every day. Without rain there would be no flowers, no trees..."
Emma wasn't convinced at all. Mama liked the rain? She thought it was good? Folding her arms she gave her mother a defiant glare. "I don't need rain! I never want to have rain again! Nobody needs it, Mama! It's just wet, ugly and dark."
Elizabeth wasn't shocked at her daughter's defiance, it reminded her of her own. Another fairy tale was at hand and she was glad to tell it. Her daughters were asking her for fairy tales all the time and if it helped a purpose, so the better. Stroking her daughter's blonde curls she called for Jane and Mary. The twins crawled towards her and smiled at her. All three children made themselves comfortable in their mother's arms; Jane was at her left side, Mary on her right while Emma was sitting on her lap clapping her little hands together in excitement.
"Jane and Mary, please listen to me for a moment, I'll tell the fairy tale in a moment. Your sister Emma has said something about the rain outside which I'd like to explain. Emma said that she didn't want any rain anymore; she has no use for it. But with my fairy tale I'll show you how wonderful rain can be. Do you want to hear the tale of the Valley of Rainbows?"
All three children nodded in agreement, they were spellbound already.
Once upon a time there was a valley filled with rainbows. There was rain every second day to keep the rainbows alive; it wasn't cold rain but warm comfortable clear water. Every single creature living in this beautiful valley was awed by the beautifully coloured rainbows, everyone except the young Prince; the son of the old wise king. Ever since he was born the rainbows had been there, ornamenting the blue sky with its white clouds, they were nothing special to him. And the rain annoyed him because he loved to be outside to play every day.
After a long peaceful reign the old king died leaving his little realm to his young son. The little boy was delighted to have power now for in this valley the king had the power to keep the rain away; he was capable of asking the water fairies to let them have rain as the entire rest of the world.
How little the young king considered the needs of his people was nothing to him. Now he would be able to go out each day to play in the heavenly gardens and enjoy the rainbows without having it spoiled by the warm rain. At first her barely noticed but due to the missing rain the rainbows faded and disappeared one by one.
Losing the rainbows might have been the most displeasing matter at the beginning but when the cold rain started the entire valley considered itself accursed. Dark clouds veiled the sun, the rain was ice cold and stung bitterly. There were no rainbows to be seen after the sun had returned, it seemed as if they were insulted and wished to shun the little kingdom which had been their home once.
Snow, biting coldness and fog robbed the valley of its legendary beauty causing people to leave it for good; also the animals seemed to move away one by one. The sun rarely ever shone, it seemed that the king's choice had driven her away. The king, recognising his dreadful error, summoned the water fairies for help. They followed his command willingly for it was in their power to bring back the rainbows.
"Gentle fairies of the water, what am I to do?" the little king asked with tears in his bright eyes.
For now the entire valley saw neither rain nor the sun, just dark grey clouds.
"You must ask the rainbows to forgive you, then they will return." the fairies responded.
But the little king was far too proud to humble himself and refused violently. As a result of this the valley was suffering from aridity; first the meadows and flowers dried out; then the trees, ponds and rivers. Once more the king summoned the fairies but their request was the same. Another refusal to obey was all this led to. Only when his own gardens were struck by the drought he would hear reason; the third time he summoned the fairies he obliged them and asked the rainbows to forgive him through Aurora, the fairy of the rainbows.
His apology was accepted kindly and with time all the rainbows returned in even more splendid colours. The gentle summer's rain revived flowers, trees and meadows; rivers and ponds were streaming again; harbouring fish and other creatures of the water. The entire valley outshone its old glory; soon all the people and animals returned home.
But what happened to the little king you may ask? He had learned his lesson and paid much respect to the rain from now on. He had grown wiser in this time of sadness and had learned that not only the rainbows depended upon the rain but every creature on this earth; even himself. Seen in this more prudential light the rain felt like a blessing rather than something preventing him from being outside. He was to rule the little valley for a long peaceful time and eventually he wed one of the water fairies, Esmeralda, who became a most graceful queen and link between the king and the fairies.
"And thus, my dear children, we might take heed and follow the little king's example foe our lives also depend upon the rain. Without rain there would be no water, no plants and no life on this earth. This is why the rain is necessary for nature to survive. So, when you're sad about staying indoors because of the rain, remember the valley of the rainbows."
While she had been telling her delightfully wise fairy tale it had stopped raining and lovely beams of sunlight found their way through the clouds, resulting in a colourful rainbow. Emma jumped off her mother's lap and ran to the window pointing at the rainbow.
"Look, Mama, look! There is a rainbow! The fairies sent us a rainbow because we are good girls!" she exclaimed happily.
Before Elizabeth could respond to her daughter's happy words another voice arose in the big hall.
"Well, darling, you might go for a fairy yourself!" Darcy chuckled.
"Papa! Oh, Papa!" All three children were running towards him to be caught in a loving embrace. Elizabeth got up slowly and gave him a loving smile. Yes, he was back. After about a month of business in London he had returned home. And how he looked! His clothes were all in disarray; his hair was dripping with water. But to her he was just the handsomest man she had ever laid eyes on. Now it was her turn to embrace him fervently; she didn't care if the water went right through her dress.
"Welcome home, William," she greeted him. "You were missed by all of us!"
"Not as much as I missed my little family. And I've brought you presents!" This caused a jumble among the children but before they would receive their presents they followed their mother to the window to watch the rainbow.
"Mama, do you think it will rain again soon?" little Emma asked happily; proving that Elizabeth's fairy tale had impressed her in the right way.