Citrus wants to be green !

By Christophe Petit

Citrus is a young donkey. Nobody likes Citrus, nobody talks to him because all the donkeys are green. Except for Citrus who is as yellow as a lemon. So he is very sad.

They laugh at him :

– Hey, Citrus, when are you going to be green?

One day, he has enough. He walks to the sorcerer to get some help.

– Good morning, Citrus. Can I help you? asks the man.

– I’m rejected because I’m yellow and my community is green. I can’t stand it. What can you do for me?

He opens a big old book and reads it. Then the sorcerer says :

– I can make you fly, make you bigger or smaller or even less stubborn but I can’t change your colour!

– You’re wrong! Donkeys are not stubborn. We obey when we want to. That’s all!

– Sorry, Citrus.

– Well, goodbye, then, Mr Sorcerer.

Citrus remembers his last art lesson about colours. So he goes to the DIY shop.

– Hello, Mr Brush, have you got green paint for me, please? Donkey green.

–  Sorry, but I’ve only got one can of paint left, says MrBrush, and it’s blue.

– Oh, that’s fine too, says Citrus. What’s the price?

As he walks back to his pasture Citrus is worried about his idea.

His art teacher says you can mix green and blue if you want to get a green colour but what if it doesn’t work with donkeys?

He stops under a tree, opens the can and dips his long tail in it.

And a few minutes later Citrus turns green, Donkey Green. He is delighted :

– Wow, what a fantastic colour!  Now, I’m a real green donkey.

In the field, all the donkeys come around him.

– Hey, Citrus, you have a very nice colour. Come and have some water with us.

- Total nr. of readings: 801 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.