Looking up information and folklore about the rainbow, I found many diverse stories. The most familiar in the US are probably that of God's promise not to destroy the world in flood and that of the Irish pot of gold at the rainbow's end. Many see the rainbow as good and some as a bad omen. Amazonians shut their mouths to keep out disease, ancient arabians thought it was a tapestry woven by the south wind. Bulgarian legends feel if you walk below the rainbow you will change gender, at least in your way of thinking. The haiku are not as strong as I would have liked but they should share a little rainbow lore.
Chinese folktale of Hsienpo and Yingt’ai:
star crossed lovers
await rainbows appearance
to be together
Buddhist:
highest accomplishment
conscious and desire extinguished
rainbow body
Navajo:
Navajo brave
rides the multicolored serpent
receiving guidance
Nicaragua:
parents hide children
fear they may look or point
rainbow curse
Karen’s of Burma:
painted dragon
devours children
the rainbow
Celtic:
love making
under the rainbow
fertility assured
Josephine Wall
Greek goddess Iris:
Iris on golden wings
leads the dead
to Elysian fields
