The empress was sitting in the sunshine in the secret garden of the secret palace, when a grey covering came over her eyes. She tried to wipe the grey away, but could not. Stumbling, the empress rose and leaning on the arms of two of her maidens, she reached her darkened and cool rooms. But, the grey mist turned to black and the empress cried aloud, "Call for the emperor and my children. I cannot see."
Immediately, the maidens ran to the throne room where dozens of holy men and counsellors were gathering for the conference. The emperor immediately left the audience room and rushed to his wife's chambers. In the cool, almost silent rooms, the empress was crying softly. Around her gathered all of her children. The emperor sent his eldest son out to attend the guests, but the other youth stroked their mother's hands and gown. The emperor quietly sat next to his beloved wife.
"Dear One," he said. "Thankfully, we have the wisest and holiest of men among us for advice. I shall stay with you until this passes, and grieve with you if it does not."
The empress held both of his hands. A knock at the door of the chamber, and an ancient wise man in a grey cloak with a staff, stood waiting. A maiden came and whispered to the emperor that the man requested to see the empress. The emperor stood up and gestured for the man to come in. As the old man hobbled over to the empress, the young princes and princesses made a way for him, standing in a crescent around their parents. They were silent.
The ancient man spoke, "Your empress will be healed when each one of your children gives to her the most precious things each has. For she gave them life, and hearing, and sight, and now, they must give back in honour of her sacrifices."
The emperor stood up and addressed the ancient man, "If this is so, and if she is healed, you will become one of my household and tutor my youngest children in wisdom."
The man bowed and left the chamber. Then, the youthful siblings crowded around their mother and cried, pledging all kinds of wonderful gifts. But, the emperor stood, looking at them silently. He spoke, finally, with firmness.
"I know the gifts you must bring your royal mother, and those are your favourite colours."
The youth settled into a heavy silence. Then, one by one the princes and princesses left. The maidens shut the doors.
The emperor sat, holding his wife's hands. Then, the door opened and it was the youngest, the green-eyed prince. He was wearing white and holding a basket in which he had three things. He placed the basket at the feet of his mother. "I give you my emerald, by parrot, and the seeds to all my plants. My favourite thing is green, but from now on, I shall only wear white, in honour of my mother empress."
The emperor took the basket and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You are blessed, Fourth Son. Come sit here beside me."
The large metal doors opened again and it was the yellow-haired prince with a larger basket, and he knelt before his mother. The emperor noted that he was dressed in grey.
"For my dear mother, my amber jewellery, and two of the yellow puppies from my dog. I shall never wear yellow again. I shall wear grey to honour my mother's dark eyes, and this dark day."
The emperor stood up and put his hand on the shoulder of this youth. Then he told him, "You are blessed, Third Son. Take a seat next to your brother."
Just then, the youngest princess rushed in all in white. Her red hair was hidden under a white veil. She had a white flower in her belt, but she was crying. In her arms was a huge basket.
"Dearest Lady Empress, my mother, here are all my rubies, my red cat, and my red roses. From this day, in honour of your love, I shall only wear white and never red."
The emperor embraced his Second Daughter and told her to sit next to her mother. Just then, the Eldest Daughter and the Second Son rushed into the room with large baskets. Both were dressed in brown. The Eldest Daughter cried, "Lady, Mother, for you I give up my corals, my orange flowers, and the key to the stable of my orange pony. I have cut my orange hair and made a braid. For you, I shall wear brown all my life." And, the Second Son said, "For my dearest empress, I give my giant sapphire, my blue cat, and all my blue clothes, so that she may be healed. And, I, too, shall wear only brown in days to come."
The emperor blessed these two and told them to sit next to their mother, when suddenly, the Eldest Son and Heir came into the chamber. He was holding nothing. He stood in front of his parents and bowed.
"For my beloved empress, Mother, I give up my claim to the throne." And, he kissed her hands.
All in the room were silent. Tears came to all their eyes. Then, the emperor stood up. "You have given your inheritance, but I give it back to you. Stay, and be the most gracious emperor of all." In the distance, the old man nodded to the emperor, unseen by the others.
The empress stood up. Her hands went to her face, and she bowed her head for a moment. Then, she looked and saw as clearly, in fact, more clearly than she ever had before.
From her place, she saw the ancient man in the doorway, who had been waiting for them. "Come and take these gifts and use them for your own. Old Man", she said. The young ones cried and clapped their hands in joy.
The ancient one said, "I shall only take the jewels, and give them to the world." With that, he took the jewels and stepped out onto a small veranda. With a swish of his arm, he cast the jewels into the sky. A strange bow appeared and all the colours glistened in the air. The youth ran to the window and looked at the bow. The empress' favourite colour had joined the jewels and violet was in the sky with red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.
The emperor understood that gifts were given to his family to heal and to bring joy for the entire kingdom. He knew that his children had changed in one day from being spoiled and indulged to becoming self-less and loving. Suddenly, hundreds of people began to gather below the palace and stare at the coloured bow in the sky. The youth rejoiced that their gifts had healed the empress, and had made the people glad for the beauty of the bow.
That very night, the emperor held a feast for three days for all the guests and all the people of the city. the rainbow lasted for three days and then disappeared, only coming out when it rained with the sun in the sky, honouring the tears of the empress. Her children never looked so beautiful in white, brown, and grey. The emperor and empress lived to see their grandchildren. When they died, in the same week, so much did they love each other, the Eldest Son was given the multicoloured crown and jewellery of his mother. These he gave to his wife, the new empress. The princesses and princes had all married, and moved far and wide across the Earth with their children by that time and their children were happy and not spoiled, but loved to wear all colours of the rainbow. All the sons and daughter of the emperor and empress, however, kept their promises not to wear their beloved colours, or have jewels, or pets in those colours. But, many years later, it was said, that the Eldest Daughter, now married to a king across the sea, sometimes wore a multicoloured rose in her hair.
