Once upon a time, in the little village of Sunflower Valley, lived a kind and creative girl named Meera. She loved to paint, but her family was poor and could not afford fancy paints and brushes. Meera would use pieces of charcoal from the fireplace to draw on old paper, filling the village with her colorful imagination.
One day, while walking through the forest to fetch water, Meera saw a bright blue bird trapped in a thorny bush. Its tiny wings were caught, and it chirped in distress.
“Oh no! Don’t worry, little one. I’ll help you,” Meera said gently. She carefully freed the bird, making sure not to hurt it.
The bird fluttered its wings and sang a sweet tune. Then, to Meera’s surprise, it spoke!
“Thank you, kind Meera! As a token of my gratitude, I give you this magic paintbrush. Use it wisely.”
With a shimmer of golden dust, the bird vanished, leaving behind a beautiful paintbrush with a silver handle and rainbow-colored bristles. Meera held it in awe.
Curious, she dipped the brush in water and painted a small apple on a rock. To her amazement, the apple became real! She picked it up—it was juicy and sweet!
Excited, Meera ran home and painted a loaf of bread for her hungry family. It turned real, and they all had a hearty meal. News of Meera’s magic paintbrush spread quickly through the village. People came to her for help, and she painted food, clothes, and even houses for those in need.
However, not everyone in the village was kind. The greedy merchant, Ragu, heard about the magic paintbrush and wanted it for himself. One night, he sneaked into Meera’s house and stole it.
The next morning, Ragu laughed wickedly as he painted piles of gold for himself. But as soon as he touched them, they turned into dust! No matter how hard he tried, the brush would not work for him. Furious, he threw it away.
The blue bird reappeared and picked up the brush. “Only those with a kind heart can use this gift,” it said. With a flick of its wings, it returned the brush to Meera.
Meera continued to use the brush to help others. She painted gardens full of fruit trees, a river to bring water to the village, and even a small school where children could learn. Sunflower Valley became the happiest village in the land.
One day, the blue bird visited Meera again. “You have used the paintbrush well. Your kindness has made the world a better place,” it said. With a sparkle of magic, the paintbrush turned into a golden feather.
Meera smiled. She didn’t need the brush anymore—her heart and creativity were the real magic. And so, she continued to bring joy to the world, one painting at a time.
