In a big, very big city there once lived a girl named Alenka. She lived with her parents in a multi-storey house and often played in the children's playground.
In autumn it was time for her to start school, so the girl had already learned all her letters and numbers. Alenka was a good and obedient girl who always listened to her mum. Well, almost always…
The girl really disliked it when her mum asked her to come home or go to bed. She had a thousand excuses for her mum's instructions. Her discontent grew especially when the girl was drawing.
I don't want to stop drawing, never ever!
The girl insisted.
More than anything in the world I love to draw!
But why do you never draw with pencils?
Her mum asked.
Why don't I draw with them, I do, but then I rub it out. There are such bright colours all around, but pencils can't capture all the beauty, so I don't draw with pencils.
The girl explained.
One evening Alenka sat at her desk and, as always, was drawing. She had been so tired all day that she didn't even notice her eyes beginning to close and Alenka fell asleep without realising it.
And the girl dreamed a wonderful, colourful, magical dream. Alenka found herself in a mysterious unfamiliar country where the inhabitants were… paints.
Oh my, how beautiful it was! The houses were all like pencils, the trees were green like paintbrushes, and along the streets walked plump tins of paint. There were five of them.
The paints recognised the girl at once:
Allow me to introduce myself: Red!
Said the tin.
The most cheerful.
I'm Yellow, like the sun and sand.
Blue – like forget-me-nots in the field and the sky.
And I'm Green, I love leaves and grass.
I'm very pleased.
Said Alenushka happily.
I know you all well, because I love drawing with paints. But I think someone hasn't introduced themselves. Why are you so shy and quiet?
Because I'm White. My drawing can't be seen on white paper at all.
Said the last tin of paint.
Then it's all clear to me! So you're all artists here?
Asked the girl.
All together they declared:
Yes, we're paints, which means we're famous and well-known artists!
Oh, praising yourself and boasting isn't very nice. Perhaps you could show yourselves in action? Paint a cheerful, beautiful picture. There's just a free space on the wall in my room.
Said Alenka.
Excellent idea! But we need to think about what to paint. We'll discuss it now, decide and get down to work.
The paints answered in unison.
They moved to one side and took a long time deciding.
You listen to the music, sit here, and we'll go and each paint our own picture. Five pictures are much better than one. Do you mind?
Asked the tins of paint.
The paints scattered in different directions, and the girl was left alone. She looked at the fairy-tale city, listened and hummed along to the song.
Some time passed. Red appeared first. He approached the girl and handed her an album with a drawing.
Oh, how beautiful! But somehow it frightens me, everything is so red! I think it's a fire! Mum doesn't let me play with matches, I'm afraid of fire!
Said the girl.
Yellow handed over his drawing second.
But Alenka didn't understand this either:
What is this? I can't make it out, is it a sandpit or something?
Blue also showed his art, but there was a question for him too:
It's a beautiful drawing, but I don't know what it looks like. If it's the sky, why aren't there any clouds?
In the girl's hands was Green's drawing.
Is this a patch of grass? But why do I need so much of it, I'm a girl, not a rabbit!
Complained Alena.
Last of all, the tin with white paint handed over a white sheet of the album.
I don't want to seem like a fussy girl in your eyes, so you don't think I don't like anything. I know you're all excellent artists, but separately it turned out quite badly. Let's try to paint one picture together.
Suggested Alena.
How do you mean together? I can only paint an autumn forest, poppies or a little dress, if it's red.
Well that's good! Green will paint the meadow, you paint red poppies. A girl in white shoes and white bows will pick the flowers. Above them will be a blue sky and a bright yellow sun shining.
How well we've thought it all out! Excellent idea! We'll manage it! Hurray!
The plump tins discussed the idea enthusiastically.
Alenushka, wake up.
Her mum woke her daughter.
Get up, wash yourself, brush your teeth and off to bed.
Mum, mummy, I dreamed of a wonderful picture.
The girl told her happily.
You'll paint it tomorrow, but today it's time to wash and off to bed, to sleep.
Her mum advised.
I'll definitely paint it, but that's not what I wanted to say! I understood something new!
What did you understand?
Asked her mum.
But Alenka didn't answer, she was already sleeping soundly.
Did you guess what the girl understood? If not, listen: each of us has only a little strength on our own, but if we join together with friends, we can do something big, important and bright. After all, to achieve a good result, we need to do everything together, a team is strength!
