In the Town of Painters, everything was suddenly different. Sad. The gray houses looked as if they were about to cry. The gray river brought no joy with cheerful babbling, it just flowed quietly and wearily between gray banks. Even the lollipops in the candy shop window were just gray and lifeless.
In all that gray world, only one small, cheerful spot was shining. It was a tempera paint named Goldie, who lived in a little house with a palette instead of a roof. She looked out the window and her yellow heart clenched with sadness. "What happened?" she asked herself. "Where are all the colors?"
Then she remembered the ancient legend about the recipe for rainbow colors. It was a secret formula that only old master Brush knew. The recipe must have been lost!
Goldie didn't hesitate. She knew she couldn't do it alone. She set out to find her friends. First, she found red ink. He was truly brave and was just trying to draw a big red sun on the gray sidewalk.
"Ink!" called Goldie. "We must do something! The town is all gray because the recipe for rainbow colors has been lost!"
red ink boldly declared: "Don't worry, Goldie! I'm coming with you! We'll find it!"
However, they still needed someone else for their group – blue aniline. She was very wise, but also a bit shy. They found her hiding behind a gray flower pot.
"Bluey, come with us," Goldie gently persuaded her. "We need your help. We're going to master Brush's studio to find the lost recipe."
"But I... I'm scared," whispered the aniline.
"We'll succeed!" shouted red ink determinedly. "When we're together, we can handle anything!"
Encouraged by their determination, blue aniline finally joined them. Together they set out for the big, old studio on the hill. The door was closed, but not locked. Instead of a handle, there were three small circular indentations on it – one yellow, one red, and one blue.
"Aha!" exclaimed Goldie. "This is the first riddle!"
They understood immediately. Goldie placed her tip into the yellow indentation, red ink into the red one, and blue aniline into the blue one. The door creaked quietly and opened.
Inside it smelled of wood, canvas, and mystery. On the largest easel was pinned a letter from master Brush: "My dear little artists, I knew you would come. The recipe wasn't lost in a book, but in memory. To find it again, you must prove that you understand its secret. The power of two creates new beauty. Mix together in the bowls and you will see."
"The power of two?" wondered blue aniline.
"Let's try it!" suggested red ink impatiently and immediately jumped into the first empty bowl. Goldie jumped after him. In the bowl they swirled like a merry whirlpool and suddenly... pop! From the bowl smiled a warm, cheerful orange color.
"Now me and you, Bluey," said Goldie and jumped into the second bowl. The shy aniline followed her and before their eyes, fresh green was born.
The last pair remained. Brave red ink and shy blue aniline. Their union created mysterious, deep purple.
At that moment, a large, empty circle lit up on the studio wall. The friends understood.
"We must arrange them!" said Goldie.
Together they began to work. Goldie, red ink, and blue aniline positioned themselves at three main places in the circle. Then they carefully took the bowls with new colors and placed them between themselves: orange between yellow and red, green between yellow and blue, and purple between blue and red.
When the last color was in its place, the entire circle shone with bright, rainbow light. The light burst from the studio window like a colorful river and flooded the entire Town of Painters.
The gray houses dressed again in cheerful colors. The gray river began to sing and sparkle, and the lollipops in the candy shop tasted sweet and fruity again.
Goldie, red ink, and blue aniline looked at each other and laughed. They understood. The real recipe for rainbow colors wasn't written on paper. It was hidden in their cooperation and friendship.
From then on, no one in the Town of Painters forgot that the greatest magic isn't hidden in old instructions, but in the courage to try and in friendship that can mix the most beautiful colors in the world. And maybe you too will one day discover what magic happens when you dare to mix your favorite colors.