Storymakers: How Rainbows Came To Be

Storymakers: How Rainbows Came To Be

By Anastasia
Seventh Grade
Rainier Middle School
Auburn, WA

Once upon a time there was a giant named Little Jim. Little Jim was an artist and loved to paint.

"Momma," Little Jim said on day. "I want to paint a huge picture today. As big as you!" Well, Little Jim's Momma was as humongous as ten football fields put together.

"Honey," Little Jim's Momma said gently. "I don't think we're going to find a place big enough for that."

"But we have have to, Momma!" said Little Jim, more determined than ever.

"Can't the painting be a little smaller than me?" inquired Momma.

"No, it has to be just as big as you!" Little Jim exclaimed.

"Alright, Hon," Momma replied.

"Bye Momma!" called Little Jim as he ran out the door, clutching his paint supplies. "I'm going to find myself a gigantic painting spot." Momma just shook her head.

Little Jim tried to think of a gigantic painting spot. Suddenly, he got an idea and sprinted over to a huge oak tree nearby. Excited, Little Jim quickly got out his paints and started painting some of the leaves blue. Then, he heard a tiny voice.

"Hey, you! Big guy! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" it squeaked. Little Jim looked all around, searching for the source of the voice. Finally, his eyes rested on a hole in the tree trunk, where a little squirrel's head popped out.

"Yeah, you! This is my oak tree and I don't want it to be all red, blue, yellow, orange, green, and purple!"

"But I only want to paint a picture that's as big as my Momma," Little Jim said sadly.

"Well," started the squirrel, feeling a bit sorry for Little Jim, "Not on my tree. But I know of a huge boulder over that way by the river that might work."

Filled with renewed hope, Little Jim skipped away towards the river, which created an earthquake. When he arrived at the boulder, Little Jim hurriedly got out his read and began to paint some stripes on the left side of the rock.

"Now wait a minute there," said a deep voice. Little Jim looked down. Next to the rock sat a medium-sized grizzly bear.

"You can't go painting on this here rock," the bear went on. "You see this is where I catch my food. I hide behind the rock and then jump out at my prey. If the rock is all bright with paint then my prey won't come near it and I'll go hungry."

"Oh," said Little Jim. "I don't want you to starve but my goal is to paint a picture as enormous as my momma."

"Hmmm..."pondered the bear. "I think I just might have an idea. Now you want a place that's huge, gigantic, humongous, and just plain big, right?" Little Jim nodded eagerly.

"And you want everyone to be able to see it, right?" asked the bear.

"That would be great!" cried Little Jim happily.

"Well, if you want to find that place, look straight up."

Little Jim turned his head up and what his eyes met was a pale blue, beautiful sky, stretching on forever. Little Jim had never thought of the amazing sky as a gigantic painting easel before.

"Gee, Mr. Bear," responded Little Jim in awe. "You're right!"

Little Jim walked a few giant steps over, still staring up at the sky. He got out his read paint and with his best paintbrush, painted a line that curved like an arc. Little Jim carefully repeated this with each of his five colors, the next always being on the inside of the last color. The bear watched Little Jim, leaning against the boulder. When Little Jim finished, he stepped back to admire his work.

"I did it Mr. Bear!" cried Little Jim. "I painted a picture as big as my momma!"

"You sure did," replied the bear.

Little Jim thanked the bear and headed home. When he got in sight of his house he saw Momma out in the garden, planting flowers.

Momma! Momma!" he called, running towards her. Momma looked up from her work, shovel in hand.

"Momma, I did it!" yelled Little Jim as he reached her.

"Look," he said, pointing to the horizon.

There, in the sky, as big as anything, lay Little Jim's picture.

It's even bigger than you, Momma!"

"Yes, it is, Little Jim," said Momma, hugging him close. "It's beautiful."

Storymakers: A Creative Challenge for Young Writers, is a program inviting students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades living in Washington State and British Columbia, Canada, to submit their own original creative writing pieces.