Early in the morning, a little fish named Riley peeked out of his home in the Rainbow River. Today was a very special day! All the fishes of the river would be swimming out of their homes to celebrate together. The Rainbow River was known for its colorful community and every fish, big or small, was eagerly waiting for the party to begin!
As Riley swam out of his little home, he looked around and saw all the fishes rushing past him. He swam along to join his friends — all the little fishes of the Rainbow River were gliding sparkly and smooth, here and there, sometimes bumping into one another in their hurry. But Riley was a little different: his scales weren’t smooth and shiny! They were made up of all the colors of the rainbow!
His fins and tail waved this way and that way, scattering the water into rainbow sparks, while his rainbow scales glittered in the soft light that filtered down through the water, making him the most beautiful fish in the river. But at that moment, Riley felt sad and alone. “I wish I were like all the other fishes,” he sighed. “Then I would be happy too!”
At last, the time for the Rainbow Dinner came. All fishes of the river were grouped in little circles when, suddenly, Riley saw Teal Turt swimming up to him.
“Come and sit here!” she said, and Riley smiled shyly at her.
“Oops! Look!” cried Teal Turt, and she pointed her fin toward a fish without a single scale.
“What a funny-looking fish!” said Jeremy Jaws, and in a moment all the fishes were giggling and laughing, and the fish who had come up from the bottom of the river looked so sad and ashamed that Riley felt sorry for him.
“Just because we wear different clothing and have different colors, does it make us funny-looking?” he asked. “I think his clothing is pretty! Besides, there is one thing we all have in common; we are all fishes of the Rainbow River!” But nobody listened to him. The next thing Riley saw was all the fishes leaving the funny-looking fish alone and moving away to another place where the water was deeper.
Riley looked down into the water. The scales of the fishes that had escaped the flood looked very smooth and shiny, while the scales of those that had been caught were scratched and torn. Giving Riley a great fright! Then he saw him creeping up to the fish without a single scale.
“Don’t be scared! I am your friend,” said Jeremy Jaws. “All the others are foolish to tease you now. Listen, I will teach you how to pretend to be like us. You must only be careful to move about very cautiously!”
And then little Riley swam about cautiously after Teal Turt and soon forgot what he was about. But a moment later the little fish without scales said, “Ouch, that hurts!” and all the golden scales of the other little fishes lay at the bottom of the river.
“Don’t you remember my warning?” said Jeremy Jaws. But Riley did not know anything more, for he had forgotten all about it.
But the others had not forgotten. One after the other they got frightened and began to cry. “Quick, quick! Everybody run away!” cried Teal Turt, and away they all sped, each one trying to hide behind the other’s fins.
Then who should swim up toward them but the little fish without any scales? He began to laugh but kept going on. Soon, however, a whole crowd of fishes emerged from one of the hiding-places, and among them was Riley, who at once rushed over to his new friend.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“My name is Something Different!” was the reply, “And who might you be?”
“Why, I am called the Rainbow Fish!” said Riley, proudly waving his fin.
“Well, Rainbow Fish, Something Different — I mean I must say this much,” said the little fish without any scales as he began to toddle by. “At first I was very sorry for you because you were the only fish in the river who was different from the others. But now, I am very glad that there are two of you!”
Riley’s eyes sparkled like sunshine as he answered proudly, “And do you know what? Every fish in the Rainbow River is different from every other fish! That is what makes our Rainbow River so beautiful!”