The Mirror that Smiled
Teddy feels insecure about his drawings and worries he is not as good as Kit. Kit takes him to the magical Mirror Pool in Purple Stone Valley, where Teddy learns to recall his bravest memories to transform his sad reflection into a confident smile.
Teddy is sitting on a flat stone under the shade of a large oak tree, carefully drawing with a colored pencil in his leaf notebook. The little bear draws a beautiful moon flower, but then shakes his head sadly and scribbles over his work because he is worried his lines are not as pretty as Kit's. Teddy looks down at his round paws and takes a slow sigh, feeling not good enough
Kit steps closer to his friend, looking at Teddy's scribbled drawing and smiling warmly. The little fox suggests that they go together to the Mirror Pool located deep inside the Purple Stone Valley, where the magical water can show the true beauty inside everyone. Teddy hesitates for a moment before closing his notebook, and then he joins Kit to start their long walk along the shady forest path
The path leading into the Purple Stone Valley begins to slope upward, and strong cold mountain winds blow across the grey stone cliffs. Teddy cradles his notebook tightly against his chest, feeling tired and worried that he will not be able to climb all the way to the top. As they go deeper into the rocky valley, the sunset begins to paint the sky a soft purple, and the little bear walks slowly behind Kit in the shadows
Climbing over a large rocky ledge, the two friends finally stand before the silent Mirror Pool hidden in the valley. The pool is flat, dark, and clear like a giant mirror, surrounded by glowing purple stones that reflect tiny lights from the evening sky. Teddy steps onto the wet stones at the edge of the water, tilting his head to look down into the cool pool with curiosity
Teddy suddenly pulls back in surprise. On the water, Teddy's reflection does not move with him, but stands completely still with a sad face and drooping shoulders. The water around his reflection slowly turns a dull grey, making small worried ripples. Teddy whispers to Kit in disappointment, looking down at his paws: - Kit, does the water think Teddy is sad and not good at anything too
Kit steps closer, gently placing a paw on Teddy's shoulder to comfort him. The little fox explains that the magic pool only shows the worries hidden inside his body. Kit encourages Teddy to stand tall, stretch his arms high, take a deep breath, and close his eyes to remember his bravest moment when he carried a little hurt sparrow across the rushing stream. Teddy listens to his friend, standing straight and closing his eyes with confidence
In the quiet valley, Teddy focuses on his warm breath and feels the cold wind slowly quiet down around him. As he thinks of the little sparrow smiling to thank him, a warm and cozy feeling spreads from his chest to his whole body. The grey color on the water disappears, making way for clear blue water. The bear under the water is no longer worried, his face slowly turning gentle as he gets ready to smile
Teddy opens his eyes and smiles warmly down at the lake. The reflection in the clear blue water smiles back brightly, standing tall and brave. From the center of the pool, beautiful golden ripples spread across the surface. Teddy happily opens his notebook, using his colored pencil to draw the glowing water with confidence, knowing that courage is always inside his heart
