The Unicorn Who Jumped Over the Rainbow

Read-aloud note

Let repeated rain sounds become a soft rhythm while you read.

Story

At bedtime, a tiny tap made everyone wonder. There was a rainbow right outside the window. A big, bright, curvy one, with red on top and purple on the bottom and all the colors in between. And then — wait. Did something just move up there?

It did. A white unicorn with a shimmery silver horn came galloping out of the clouds. She ran right up to one end of the rainbow, the red end, near the big oak tree in the park. She stopped. She looked across. The other end of the rainbow was way, way over on the other side, near the little bakery with the yellow door. She sniffed the air. She pawed the ground once, twice. And then she jumped. Up and over, all the way across the rainbow, her hooves barely touching the colors as she went. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple — one, two, three, four, five, six! She landed softly next to the bakery and shook her mane like she was very pleased with herself. Can you count the colors with her?

Now here is the funny thing about this unicorn. She only jumped rainbows when something on the other side needed her. And what was near the bakery with the yellow door? A little hedgehog was sitting on the step, looking very lost. His name was Pip. He had followed the smell of warm bread all the way from the garden, and now he didn't know which way was home. The unicorn trotted right over to him. She lowered her shimmery horn gently, and a tiny soft light glowed at the tip — just warm and golden, like a nightlight. Pip looked up. He wasn't scared at all. He just said, oh, hello. The unicorn turned slowly, and the little golden glow pointed straight down the path that led back to the garden. Pip trotted after it, all the way home, through the gate, under the lavender bush, to his cozy leaf pile. He curled right up.

The unicorn watched until Pip was tucked in safe. Then she turned around, galloped back across the rainbow — purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red — and disappeared into the clouds just as the rainbow started to fade. But for one more second, right before it went, you could still see all six colors: one, two, three, four, five, six. Just like that. At last, everything felt warm and close. Softly, softly, home we go. The window was back where it belonged.

Scenes

A Tap at the Window

At bedtime, a tiny tap made everyone wonder. And right outside the window — oh! A big, bright, curvy rainbow, red on top and purple on the bottom, with all the colors in between.

The Unicorn Appears

Then — wait. A white unicorn with a shimmery silver horn came galloping out of the clouds. She ran right up to the red end of the rainbow, by the big oak tree in the park.

Up and Over the Rainbow

She pawed the ground once, twice — and jumped! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple — one, two, three, four, five, six! Can you count the colors with her?

A Little Light for Pip

By the bakery sat a tiny hedgehog named Pip, looking very lost. The unicorn lowered her shimmery horn, and a warm golden glow lit the path home, just like a nightlight.

Softly, Softly, Home We Go

Pip curled up safe in his leaf pile. The unicorn galloped back across the rainbow — purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red — and the window was back where it belonged.