Princess Willow was a little fairy with bright green wings. She lived in a warm treehouse high in an old oak tree. Her bed was a soft leaf. Her door was a round knot in the wood. Every morning, Willow waved her tiny wand and said, “Good morning, tree!”
The treehouse had red berry curtains, yellow flower cups, and a blue button bell. Ding-ding! Willow loved making little things shine. She was kind, careful, and brave, even when her knees felt wobbly.
One morning, Willow opened her round door. Oh no! The forest looked pale. The red berries were gray. The yellow flowers were gray. Even the blue sky was gray.
“Where did the colors go?” whispered Princess Willow.
A face appeared in the bark of the old oak. It was the Tree Spirit. He had leafy eyebrows and a mossy beard.
“Hello, little Princess,” said the Tree Spirit in a slow, gentle voice. “Frost Mage blew a cold gray puff across the forest. He took the colors to his icy hill.”
Willow held her wand close. “That is not nice.”
“No,” said the Tree Spirit. “But Frost Mage is very lonely. He thinks gray is the safest color.”
Willow looked at the gray flowers. She felt sad for them. Then she stood tall on her little toes.
“I will go to the icy hill,” she said. “I will bring our colors home.”
The Tree Spirit gave her three gifts. First, a red berry lantern. “For warm light.” Second, a yellow petal cape. “For sunny courage.” Third, a blue acorn cup. “For a kind drink.”
Willow put on her cape. Flap, flap went her wings. Down she flew from the treehouse.
She passed gray mushrooms. “I will help,” she told them.
She passed a gray rabbit. “Hop with me if you like,” she said.
The rabbit gave one tiny hop. Hop! Then another. Hop-hop! Soon the rabbit followed Willow.
At the icy hill, Frost Mage stood beside a small ice tower. His coat sparkled white. His beard was long and frosty. In his hands was a glass jar. Inside the jar swirled red, yellow, blue, green, and purple.
“Stop!” said Willow, though her voice came out small.
Frost Mage looked down. “Who is that?”
“I am Princess Willow, fairy of the old oak.”
“I like gray,” said Frost Mage. “Gray does not shout. Gray does not change. Gray stays.”
Willow nodded. “Gray can be quiet. But the flowers miss yellow. The berries miss red. The sky misses blue.”
Frost Mage hugged the jar. “Colors are too busy.”
Willow had an idea. She lifted the red berry lantern. Its warm light glowed on the snow.
“Red can be cozy,” she said. “Like a warm blanket.”
She swished her yellow petal cape. It shone softly.
“Yellow can be gentle,” she said. “Like a sleepy sun.”
Then Willow filled the blue acorn cup with snowmelt from a little spring. She offered it to Frost Mage.
“Blue can be calm,” she said. “Like a quiet drink with a friend.”
Frost Mage took the cup. Sip. He blinked. The water was cool and sweet.
“No one has brought me a friend drink before,” he said.
The rabbit hopped forward. Hop! It touched Frost Mage’s icy boot with its nose.
Frost Mage gave a tiny smile. It was almost as small as Willow’s thumb.
“May I keep one color?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Willow. “You may keep blue for your quiet tower. But please let the forest have the rest.”
Frost Mage opened the glass jar. Whoooosh! Red flew to the berries. Yellow flew to the flowers. Green flew to the leaves. Purple danced onto little bells. Blue floated back into the sky.
The forest sparkled again.
Back at the treehouse, the Tree Spirit clapped his branch hands. “Princess Willow, you were brave and kind.”
He gave her a treasure box made from golden wood. Inside were seven tiny color gems: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink.
“For your wand,” said the Tree Spirit.
Willow touched the gems to her wand. Ping! Her wand made a rainbow bubble. Then another. Pop! Pop!
Frost Mage visited the treehouse that evening. He brought blue ice cookies. Willow gave him red berry tea. The rabbit ate a yellow flower biscuit.
Ding-ding went the blue button bell.
Princess Willow smiled. Her treehouse was warm. Her forest was bright. And now, even Frost Mage had a friend.
“Good night, tree,” Willow whispered.
The old oak rustled softly. “Good night, little rainbow fairy.”