Morning Surprises

Paintbrush Mother Goat stood in her art studio, watching sunlight stream through the tall windows of Paintbrush Lodge. Her seven kid goats bounced around the room, chattering excitedly about the Canvas Festival next week.

"Mama, can we help you paint the festival banners today?" asked Rosie, the oldest girl goat, twirling her small purple paintbrush.

"Of course, my dear ones," Mother Goat smiled, reaching for her palette. She squeezed out bright blue paint, then yellow, then red. Perfect colors for cheerful festival decorations.

But when she dipped her brush into the blue paint and touched it to the canvas, something strange happened. Instead of blue, a streak of bright orange appeared.

"That's odd," she murmured, trying again. This time the blue paint turned green on the canvas.

The kid goats gasped and gathered around.

"Mama, your paint is acting funny!" squeaked little Billy, pointing at the canvas with wide eyes.

The Sparrow's Warning

Mother Goat stared at the canvas, her paintbrush dripping with what should have been blue paint but looked bright green instead. The seven kid goats crowded closer, their own small brushes forgotten.

"Try the red paint, Mama!" suggested Tommy, one of the younger boys, bouncing on his hooves.

She dipped her brush into the crimson paint and made a careful stroke. Purple appeared on the canvas.

"This is impossible," Mother Goat muttered, wiping paint from her kerchief.

A tiny brown sparrow suddenly darted through the open window, chirping frantically. It landed on Mother Goat's easel, fluffing its feathers in distress.

"Oh my!" gasped Lucy, the second oldest girl. "Something's wrong with Pip!"

The sparrow belonged to their neighbor, Mrs. Featherworth, who lived in the cottage beyond the paintbrush towers. Pip never left his owner's side unless something terrible had happened.

"Pip, what is it?" Mother Goat asked gently.

The sparrow chirped urgently, then flew in circles around the paint palette. He pecked at the yellow paint, which immediately turned bright orange on his tiny beak.

"The paints are changing everywhere!" Mother Goat realized with growing alarm.