Rebol is the easiest language I've found for beginners, and can be applied to so many different problem domains. I wrote a tutorial to help people use it as their first programming language:
Rebol Programming For The Absolute Beginner
The Rebol interpreter is tiny, the language is elegant, and it's so easy for new programmers to learn. It's got native network connectivity and many useful data types built in, CGI interface, database connectivity, unique data parsing features, a consistent and easy learning curve. Sripts run unchanged on 40+ platforms. It's a shame so few people even know it exists...