The Yellow Balloon

There was once a yellow balloon which was round and wonderful. Whoever held its string just had to admit that they were stunned by its beauty.

This made the balloon very proud and it puffed itself up and pulled to go higher. One day it managed to slip its string and sailed happily upwards.

As it soared into the sky, the people below pointed and clapped. The balloon swelled with pride as it sailed on for all to see and admire.

Soaring upwards, it looked in disdain at the little people below and with envy at the shining sun. 'I am the biggest and brightest balloon in the sky,' it said, and stretched out in front of the sun, blocking its view.

The people far below gasped as the balloon eclipsed the sun. But the sun's fires do not stop raging and the tight and thin balloon struggled and sweated to hold itself together.

And then there was a very loud 'bang' as the balloon burst into a million small pieces of rubber which floated back to earth amid the rain of its last sweat and tears.

The people stood, shocked for a moment, as they wondered what would happen next. And then, as others cheered, someone started to blow up a new balloon.