1Noah was an old man with kind eyes and a gray beard, and he loved to listen to the quiet voice of God. One morning, God spoke to Noah in the rustling of the wind
2. "Build a great ark," the voice seemed to say, "strong and wide and tall." Noah picked up his hammer and began. He worked under the hot sun and the cool stars
3. Then, two by two, the animals came. Tall giraffes folded their long necks through the door. Rumbling elephants padded softly up the ramp
4. Birds of every color settled into the rafters. Noah watched them all come, and he smiled his warm, crinkled smile. The rains began
5. The ark bobbed gently, like a cradle rocking on the sea. For many days and many nights, Noah waited. He watched through the small window as the gray water stretched on and on in every direction
6. At last, Noah set free a small white dove. She beat her white wings and disappeared into the pale sky
7. In her beak she carried one fresh green olive leaf. Noah held the leaf up and turned it slowly in the light. Soft and real and green — the most beautiful little thing he had ever seen
8. Land was near. Life was growing again. The waters pulled back, and the ark settled on solid ground. Noah opened the great door wide
9. Arching across the whole sky, from one end of the earth to the other, was a great shining rainbow — red and orange and yellow and green and blue and violet all at once
10. It was God's promise, bright and unbreakable, hung up in the heavens for Noah and every creature to see, now and always.
