A rainbow can be classified as an extraordinary and attractive natural phenomenon that has fascinated humans throughout the ages. There have been numerous observations of rainbows and many different definitions passed out through the cultures. Descriptions such as " A rainbow is seven colors in the sky. It is a phenomenon which makes its appearance when it is raining at the same time when the sun is shining." (Irwin, 32) have been transmitted verbally through cultures. There are many different aspects to a rainbow; from the technical issues such as the refraction of light, to the mythology which includes the Irish stories of leprechauns. All of these combine to make the rainbow one of the most significantly symbolic shapes of the ages.

The science behind the rainbow is very simple. A rainbow is simply an arc of concentric colored bands that develops when sunlight interacts with raindrops. Sunlight is refracted as it enters a raindrop, which causes the different wavelengths of visible light to separate. Longer wavelengths of light such as red are bent the least while shorter wavelengths of violet and blue are bent the most. ( Parkhurst, 58)

The thought that treasures lie at the other end of the rainbow is one that is often associated with small Irish leprechauns who will grant you three wishes and surrender their pot of gold unto the finder. The ends of the rainbow are said to lead to hidden treasures. This idea originated somewhere in old Europe. In places such as Silesia, an obscure area of eastern Europe, it is said that the angels put the gold there and it can only be recovered by a nude man. Although the laws of physics find it absolutely impossible to walk under a rainbow, in believed in the same region of old Europe that anyone passing beneath the rainbow would be transformed, man into woman, woman into man. (Kemp, 127)

The mythology and mystery that has been designated to the rainbow in different cultures is one of the most varied in the whole world of nature. Many natural phenomenons are characterized as symbolic, however they are usually consistent. For example, in every civilization, fire is looked on as a form of destruction. The meaning of the rainbow is incredibly diverse from culture to culture. Generally speaking it is looked at for its beauty as a source of positive emotions and a gladdening of the heart. The widespread image of the rainbow is a bow, with which God sends down arrows and rain. But taken further, the rainbow was considered to be someone's belt or robe. In the Albanian culture the rainbow is the belt of the goddess of beauty, and a later Catholic Saint Prenne (or Prende), whose name is derived from the word perendi meaning 'heaven'. Swallows were harnessed to her carriage and pulled her through the gates of heaven. (Irwin, 145)

3) Parkhurst, Charles. & Feller, Robert L. Color Research and Application. New York, New York, 1982.

The Greek mythology also attributes the rainbow to a goddess. Iris was the daughter of Thaumas and Electra, the sister of Harpies and a messenger of the gods of Olympus. She is represented as both the goddess of the rainbow and its impersonation. The rainbow has been said to be the belt of Iris, a footpath between heaven and earth, or the stairway from which Iris descended to deliver messages to the mortals. Ironically, the original meaning of the word iris is 'path or band'. (Schweizer, 173)

Overall, the use of rainbows in mythology, beliefs and forms of entertainment has been great throughout history. As people continue to believe in the power of rainbows as a symbol of renewed hope and luck, the stories will pass down in a modern form of oral tradition. Parents will tell their children the stories they were told, and show them the movies that they used to love. The magic that can be explained and expanded upon catches people's attention because it occurs so infrequently. As Kermit the Frog sang in "The Rainbow Connection": All of us under it's spell, we know that it's probably magic." Both children and grown-ups alike will always watch for rainbows from their rooms and car windows. To quote Kermit the Frog one last time: "All of us watching and wishing we'd find it. I hope that you're watching too. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers an

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2111
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)