Elara runs to the rainbow stream. She stops. The water is gray. No shimmer.
Her mouth opens. A tiny frog croaks from a wet leaf. She knows she must ask the Old Tree.
The Old Tree groans. "What has dimmed my stream?" Its bark eyes blink.
Elara points at the gray water. "Something made it sad," she whispers. A root uncurls, pointing downstream. "Follow the whisper."
Elara wades into the shallow water. It's cold. Her toes wiggle. A stone blocks the flow.
She pushes. The stone doesn't budge. Her shoulders slump. A dragonfly buzzes past, then vanishes. She hears a tiny giggle. A fairy appears!
The fairy zips around Elara's head. "We can help!" A dozen sparkles zoom from the leaves. They land on Elara's nose. Ticklish.
The fairies try different ways. They push. They pull. They lift. One fairy gets stuck under a leaf. She flaps her wings and pops out. Water trickles over pebbles, gurgling.
The Old Tree's branches sway. "The stream needs a song," it rumbles. Elara hums. The fairies hum too.
The sound vibrates in the water. A ripple of blue spreads. Then pink. Then gold. The water bubbles. A tiny rainbow arches over the surface. The fairies cheer.
The stream sparkles again. Elara dips her hand in. The water is warm. A frog jumps in, making a plip. She grins.
The Old Tree's leaves rustle a happy song. The fairies settle on a lily pad, watching the colors dance.