Buddy Blue

Buddy and his blue sprites spend their days in the Blue Zone making sure there are enough blue Star Sprinkles for the blue sky, the waves of the sea and the blue flowers and all the blue things in the world.

But Buddy is also a great athlete. He loves health food, and he talks about it non-stop. He often organizes team events and other sports programs and sporting activities. The others do get a bit bored with all this, but they try not to show it as Buddy is a very lovable boy.

On a beautiful spring morning, Buddy Blue jumped out of bed, woke up his sleepy sprite, Champ, and started rounding up all the Color Kids. He had talked them into going jogging with him and now he wanted to make sure they were all wide awake and ready to go.

Buddy had to throw a little cold water on Red Butler to get him out of bed on time. And Indigo was a little slow getting ready because she couldn't decide which jogging outfit to wear. But the rest of the Color Kids were all set and ready for a morning of exercise.

"OK, kids - let's get jogging!" called Buddy, as he led the colorful group with his sprite, Champ, bouncing happily behind them. Off they went, over purple hills and down through bright green valleys, past sparkling orange groves and through fields dotted with haystacks.

"This is great fun, isn't it, kids!" shouted Buddy.

"It was when we started," panted Patty O'Green, " But now I'm too tired to have any fun."

"I couldn't agree more," puffed Shy Violet. "I vote we turn back at once."

"Frankly, I think you're both right!" added Red Butler.

"Oh, c'mon kids," begged Buddy. "Just a mile or so more."

"A mile or so more and I may faint from exhaustion," Indigo cried dramatically.

But everyone followed their leader, Buddy, and jogged grimly on and on. The countryside was beginning to look a little strange to them. Instead of orange groves and green valleys, they were jogging into an area where everything seemed to be gray and gloomy.

"Where are we, Buddy?" cried LaLa Orange. "I want to go back home."

Finally the frightened Buddy had to admit he really didn't know the way home. "I'm sorry, kids," he said sadly. "Guess I got a little carried away. And now we're lost."

"Oh, no you're not!" cackled Murky Dismal, as he popped out from behind a big gray boulder. "I can tell you precisely where you are. You've found your way to The Pits, and my friend Lurky and I want you to stay with us - for a long, long time!"

All the Color Kids cried out in horror at Murky's announcement. If Murky Dismal kept them in The Pits, all the colors, all over the world, would soon fade away."

Just then they heard a strange sound coming from the gray sky above. Suddenly, out of the gray clouds, Starlite, the magical flying horse, appeared carrying a very worried Rainbow Brite.

"Rats!" snarled Murky Dismal, who is very frightened of horses.

"Let's get out of here, Lurky!" And off the two raced to hide in the nearby Pits.

"Come on, everyone," cried Rainbow Brite. "It may be a little crowded but we'll manage. Starlite is going to take us home. again - and fast!"

What a strange sight it was. You could barely see Starlite as the Color Kids and Champ clung to his back and tail and mane. But somehow Starlite managed to fly them back to safety.

As soon as they returned home, Rainbow Brite spoke sternly to Buddy Blue. "I'm surprised at you, Buddy.. .taking the Color Kids jogging to The Pits, of all places."

"I didn't mean to, Rainbow," said Buddy. "Sometimes when I'm running I just forget where I'm going."

"Well, next time you go jogging, Starlite and I want to go along - just to make sure you stay on course."

"OK, Rainbow," said Buddy. "And if I ever forget, you can 'jog' my memory - just so I'll always remember the day I almost got us stuck in The Pits!"