Lesson 31 - How We Got the Indian Paintbrush Flower

A long time ago, a small boy lived on the plains. He loved to work with his hands, making pretty things.

One day, the boy fell asleep on a hilltop and had a dream. He dreamed he was given tools for painting. Also in his dream, a wise person told him that one day he would paint a wonderful picture of the evening sky.

When the boy woke up, he started to paint. His pictures made people happy, but one thing always bothered him. He could never find the right colors to paint the sunset.

One evening the boy climbed up the hill. At the top, he found paintbrushes on the ground. The brushes were filled with all the colors he needed. He picked up the brushes and painted the beautiful sunset.

The boy left his brushes on the hillside. The next morning, he discovered that his paintbrushes had grown into flowers. That is how we got the Indian paintbrush flowers that brighten the hillsides of the West every spring.