Another gourd, Godly Gourd, was growing behind Gourdgeous George. Godly Gourd was not as gorgeous as George, and he was a little shy. He listened quietly to what the Artist said.

Gourdgeous George was impatient with growing slowly. He was anxious to be free and he wanted to be painted right away. He begged and begged another visitor, Windy Storm, to blow him off the vine. What did it matter? He was sure he was going to live forever.

Windy Storm blew Gourdgeous George to the ground, and George rolled all over the place. He was so happy to be free! Gourdgeous George wanted his head to be shaved, so he rocked and rolled against sticks and stones until his whole stem fell off. He didn't know that it's very important to protect a gourd's stem.

Godly Gourd, who had held on tight to the vine during the storm, watched quietly.

The Artist saw what happened. He wanted to give Gourdgeous George a bath in water mixed with Clorox, but George was sure that would change his gorgeous color, and he rolled out of the bath water. He didn't know the Clorox would have "cured" him.

Godly Gourd watched quietly, stayed on the vine, and continued to grow.

The Artist tried to lay George in a place by himself so he would dry, but George wanted to meet all the other gourds so they could all vote for him for the most Gourdgeous Gourd. He bumped and banged into other gourds. He didn't know that bruises make a gourd start to rot.

Godly Gourd watched quietly, stayed on the vine, and grew bigger.

Gourdgeous George rolled in front of a mirror and saw a wart on his gorgeous body, so he rolled onto a knife and tried to cut off the wart. He didnt know that cutting himself would make him rot even more.

Godly Gourd watched quietly, stayed on the vine, and grew stronger.

Gourdgeous George was supposed to dry for three to four weeks, but he kept sliding into wet spots and never did dry. And what he didn't know, because he refused to be still, was that his insides were starting to rot.

Godly Gourd watched quietly, stayed on the vine, and grew more handsome.

When the artist came to shellac the gourds, Gourdgeous George didn't want to be covered with that stinky stuff and rolled away from the artist.

And so Gourdgeous George became Grew-some Mouldy George. And he was very unhappy.

Now it was time for the Artist to work on Godly Gourd. His bath made him very clean. Godly Gourd was happy to stay close to the Artist. He was obedient to the Artist, lying very still so he could dry. He let the Artist cover him with shellac, knowing it would protect him and help him live longer. And when the Artist painted him, he became the most beautiful Gourd the Artist had ever seen!