Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a curious little mouse named Max. Max was known throughout the land as being very clever, but he was also cautious and courtly. He always made sure to be polite to everyone he met and would never do anything that might cause harm to others.

One day, Max heard about a magical paintbrush that had the power to bring anything you painted to life. Max was curious and wanted to try the paintbrush for himself, so he set off on a journey to find it.

Along the way, he met a charitable old man who offered to help him find the paintbrush. The old man was cheerful and careful, and he taught Max many things about the world.

Finally, they came to a castle where the paintbrush was said to be kept. The castle was guarded by a callous and cruel dragon who was known for his creative tricks and pranks.

Max was calm and collected, but he knew he had to be careful around the dragon. So, he came up with a clever plan. He painted a delicious cake and brought it to the dragon as a peace offering. The dragon was so pleased with the cake that he let Max take the paintbrush and go on his way.

Max went home and used the paintbrush to create all sorts of amazing things. He painted a beautiful garden, a castle made of candy, and even a flying elephant. And he lived happily ever after, always being cautious, clever, and creative, but never callous or cruel.

The end.

Reflections

1. What made Max curious about the magical paintbrush?
2. How did Max show that he was cautious and courtly during his journey?
3. What did the cheerful and careful old man teach Max during their journey?
4. How did Max trick the callous and cruel dragon into giving him the paintbrush?
5. Why is it important to be careful, creative, and never cruel?
6. Can you think of your own idea for a picture that Max might have painted with the magic paintbrush?
7. What did you like best about the story of "The Curious Little Mouse and the Magic Paintbrush"?