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The Grumpy Old Man

Once upon a time, in a small village, lived a very grumpy old man. He was known as the unluckiest person in the whole village! Everyone was tired of his grumpy ways.

Watercolor illustration: A split-panel image. On the left, a gloomy, desaturated watercolor depicting the grumpy old man in dark blues and greys, his figure dominating the space, surrounded by smaller, faded figures representing the villagers avoiding him. The right panel shows a bright, celebratory scene of the same old man, now depicted in warm, golden yellows and light oranges, radiating happiness. He’s surrounded by cheerful villagers in vibrant hues, all significantly larger and more detailed than in the left panel. The style should be loose and expressive, with visible brushstrokes.

He was always sad, always complaining, and always in a bad mood. The older he got, the grumpier he became, and his words felt like poison. People avoided him because his unhappiness seemed to spread like a disease! If you met him, it felt like your day was instantly ruined. It was hard, and even felt a little strange, to be happy around him.

His sadness made other people sad too.

But then, one day, when he turned eighty years old, something incredible happened. The news spread like wildfire!

“The old man is happy! He isn’t complaining, he’s smiling, and he even looks refreshed!”

The whole village gathered in front of his house. Everyone wanted to know, “What happened to you today?”

The old man replied, “Nothing special! For eighty years, I chased happiness, but it never came. Then, I decided to live without chasing happiness and just enjoy life. That’s why I’m happy now.”

Watercolor painting focusing on the transformation of the old man. The main image is a detailed portrait of the old man at age 80, with a radiant, smiling face painted in warm, happy colors (oranges, yellows, and rosy pinks). Subtle, smaller, background watercolor washes depict his previous grumpy self in desaturated colors (greys, blues, and muted browns) ,almost like a fading memory. The background should suggest a simple village setting, with perhaps a hint of celebration amongst other, less detailed, villagers. Use translucent watercolor washes to create a sense of depth and mood. Focus on the emotional contrast between the old man’s before and after.

Lesson: Don’t chase happiness, enjoy life!

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The Hat Seller and the Monkeys
The Greedy Monkey
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