“Oh my goodness!” gasped Sarah, watching the scene unfold before her eyes.
Baby Amelia, a playful and curious little goat, stood in the middle of the barn with her entire tiny body covered in paint — bright splashes of red, blue, green, and yellow all over her soft fur. Her eyes were wide with confusion, and she let out a loud, heartbreaking cry.
The paint wasn’t meant for her, of course. That morning, Amelia’s mom — a gentle and loving goat named Bella — had been resting near the open shed, where the farm’s caretakers had been painting a new sign for the barn. Buckets of paint, brushes, and wooden boards lay nearby.
Amelia, as usual, was exploring.
She had wobbled over to the shed, sniffed at the colorful buckets, and then wandered under the shade where Bella was sitting. Bella, wanting to groom her baby as always, sat down beside Amelia and began licking and nudging her gently — without realizing her side was already smeared in paint from leaning against one of the boards.
As she lovingly cleaned her little one, more and more paint transferred from Bella’s side to Amelia’s soft coat. Before long, Amelia was covered — not in dust or dirt, but in bold, bright splotches that made her look like a living rainbow.
It wasn’t until Amelia tried to walk and felt the sticky texture on her legs and back that she began to cry. She didn’t understand what was happening. She wasn’t hurt, but she was uncomfortable, confused, and overwhelmed. And to a baby, that was more than enough reason to cry.
Sarah rushed over with a towel and a soft voice. “Oh no, sweet girl,” she said gently, kneeling beside Amelia. “You got a whole makeover, didn’t you?”
Bella stood nearby, clearly sensing her baby’s distress. She let out a soft bleat, nudging Amelia, who leaned against her, still whimpering.
With great care, Sarah used a damp cloth and warm water to clean Amelia’s fur. It took time and patience, and a few more cries from Amelia along the way. But eventually, most of the paint was gone, and her soft fur was back to normal — well, mostly. A little green still tinted her left ear, which made Sarah giggle softly.
“You’re a little artist now, huh?” she said, giving Amelia a gentle scratch behind the ears.
By afternoon, Amelia had calmed down and was back to her curious self, though she stayed far away from the paint buckets for the rest of the day.
Sometimes, even love can get messy — especially when paint is involved. But with patience, care, and a few tears, things always find their way back to normal.
