The Magic Paintbrush

The Magic Paintbrush is an animated short that is adapted from a story from Chinese culture. It is an episode part of the series "Animated Tales of the World".

Summary
Set in a land ruled by tyrannical emperor, an orphan boy named Ma Liang dreamed of becoming a famous painter. After drawing a picture of a rooster, a hawk suddenly snatches the drawing and brings it to a landlord for him to see. The girl who saw Ma Liang's drawing and Ma Liang try to stop the landlord and his henchman, but it was too late. After dropping a delivery of wood outside an art school, Ma Liang sees a teacher telling other artists how to draw a landscape properly. The art teacher tells Ma Liang to know what he wants from him. Ma Liang tells him that he would like to borrow a paintbrush from him so that he could be a good artist. The art teacher tells him that only rich boys study painting and Ma Liang cannot borrow a paintbrush.

One night, Ma Liang feels worried that only the drawings he drew could only come to life with a magic paintbrush. That night, a magical wizard meets Ma Liang who is dreaming who gives him a magical brush for him. Before Ma Liang could use the magic brush, the wizard tells him that the magic paintbrush should be used wisely and for important stuff. Ma Liang suddenly wakes up and receives the magic brush. The next day, Ma Liang suddenly draws a picture of a carp on a rock and the fish comes to life. The onlookers are amazed that the drawings came to life. The girl then tells him to paint another goat for her so that she can have another one. Amazed by the magical drawings, Ma Liang finds himself at the hands of the landlord who tells him to draw the same sword on display so that he could be rich, but Ma Liang refuses. The landlord angrily sends him to barn as punishment for not doing his favour so the landlord could be powerful.

That night, Ma Liang draws a picture of a bowl of rice so that he could have his own dinner. The landlord and his henchman attempt to open the barn to see if Ma Liang is a good painter. To help him escape, Ma Liang painted a ladder so that he can escape the barn by painting a magic rock for him to push. Ma Liang suddenly escapes the barn and then tries to avoid getting arrested again by the landlord and his follower. Ma Liang painted some fire to burn the tree used as a bridge. The two suddenly escape from the tree that is destroyed by fire. Ma Liang then sings a song about the magic brush to know how it should be used carefully and can be used for drawing things, such as painting a dragon that comes alive so that he could use it for transportation.

Meanwhile upon meeting a stallholder, he tells him that he should leave one of his paintings as is or he would get in trouble by the imperial guards who are more powerful than Ma Liang. An imperial guard sends a report of a dangerous boy who has a magical paintbrush and anyone who hides the paintbrush will be punished by the emperor. Seeing a crane flying away from the town, the guard found out that Ma Liang caused it. The guards send the boy to the emperor's palace as punishment. The emperor says that Ma Liang has a paintbrush that brings pictures to life. He then tells him to know if he is a very good painter. Ma Liang painted a dragonfly so that it could impress the emperor. The emperor then found out that the painting isn't as good as his.

The emperor decides to paint more gold so that he could be rich. The gold on a large picture is revealed to be a snake that comes to life. Realizing that this drawing is not gold, the guards send the snake out of the palace. The emperor hands the brush to Ma Liang as he tells him to paint a room full of gold. Rather than painting a room full of gold, Ma Liang decides to paint a tree full of gold so that it never stops growing on a mountain without guards. Ma Liang painted a boat for the emperor to reach the mountain of gold. The painting suddenly comes to life as the emperor enters the landscape. He then tells him to add wind to help send the boat to the mountain of gold. Ma Liang painted more wind so that the boat could reach the mountain. The boat suddenly crashes into the mountain, leaving the emperor trapped into a mountain of gold. It is them revealed that the emperor is trapped in a drawing with a mountain of gold, ending the emperor's tyranny. Now the emperor's tyranny has ended, Ma Liang remembered to know how to use the magic brush wisely and for important stuff.

Voice Cast

 * Roger Hammond - Narrator / The Wizard


 * Christian Rodska - Landlord / Guard


 * Ashley Bird - Ma Liang


 * Dilwyn Owen - Teacher


 * Simon Ludders - Henchman


 * Eirlys Bellin - Girl


 * Erica Eirian - Stallholder