‘œAre you ready,’ Kossy asked.
As scared as I was, I nodded and waited. But the truth is I was not ready at all. All kinds of colours were swimming around in my head. Then I heard Kossy say. ‘œThere. It’™s done. Looks good to me. Dark brown. I hope you’™ll be happy, Yory.’
Kossy didn’™t have a mirror anywhere. ‘œGo home. Look in your mirror. I’™m sure you’™ll be pleased.’
‘œG’™bye Kossy. I’™ll come back and tell you,’ I said. Very excited I went quickly home to see for myself.
As I came through the door Mum screamed: ‘œYory, what have you done to your hair?!’,
‘œThe kids at school tease me, Ma! You don’™t know what it’™s like to be a redhead. I fight them, but it’™s no good. They just laugh and run. They tease me because of my name too. When you called me Yoram didn’™t you know that it means a nerd ‘“ a bum?’
‘œYou are called after your Grandpa, Yory. He died a hero in the war. Such a wonderful man ‘“ you would have loved him. Remember the medal I showed you?’
‘œYes, I remember. But my hair ‘“ it really annoys me.
‘œBut your hair’™s green now Yory! Have you gone crazy? You say red is bad but green? The whole world will laugh at you!”
‘œGreen?! It can’™t be! Kossy said its brown!’
‘œKossy? Who’™s Kossy?’ Ma’™s voice came out almost as a squeak.
‘œHe lives just down the road. He’™s a nice old man and wouldn’™t make my hair green. He doesn’™t have a mirror. He said it was brown. Tell me it’™s not green -‘  eh Ma? You’™re just kidding ‘“ aren’™t you?’
But I didn’™t wait. I was already running to the mirror in the hall. When I got there I screamed. ‘œIt is! It is green! I’™m going to Kossy. He’™ll fix it ‘“ he must. He’™s a nice old man. He wouldn’™t do this on purpose.’

With an old hat covering my hair, I arrived at Kosst’™s place really scared.
‘œWell, Yory what can I do for you. It seems you don’™t like your hair. What’™s the matter?’
‘œIt’™s green Kossy. Green! What have you done! My hair is green – not brown at all. And with all the people looking, I walked home like this.’ The tears beginning. Haven’™t you got any mirror?’
‘œGreen? Green? It looks brown to me! It must have been the colour you were thinking of when I made the magic. ‘
I went all cold inside. I suddenly realised – Kossy was colour-blind!
‘œA mirror? Of course but it’™s a special one’, and he pulled out from under his bed a large wooden box. Opening it, I saw the most weird collection of’  junk I’  ever saw. There were bits of wire, balls of string a tennis racket. old knives, spanners, bits of cloth, tubes of glue and rubber strips.’  I was sure that I saw the tail of a mouse run to the bottom under some old’  stuff. It didn’™t disturb Kossy at all.
Kossy’™s head went this way and that as he searched. Finally, with a shout of success he lifted out an old, dusty mirror. It had a frame and a handle to it. He held it up as if it was a most precious thing. ‘œHere it is,’ he said happily. He wiped some dust of it with his sleeve and gave it to me.
When I saw myself in it I got an even bigger fright. In it my hair was brown!’  I couldn’™t believe my eyes.
‘œKossy, when I got home my hair was green! Now it’™s brown! What am I going to do? This is crazy! What colour is it really?’
‘œWell, I told you that this is a very special mirror ‘“ it reflects also feelings and anyway that depends, I suppose,’ says Kossy.
Now I became really scared. ‘œDepends? Depends on what? What does it depend on, Kossy?’ My voice began to shake. I had never felt the shakes before.
Not everybody sees colours the same. For some’  green may be red or even brown. Others see brown as purple-‘  especially in this mirror ‘“ it’™s special you see’œ.
Kossy, please! I always see colours the same. Please, can I have my hair the same in all places? Please!’
‘œWell I suppose the best thing would be to make your hair as it was before. That would be easy.’œ
‘œOkay, Kossy. I agree to anything as long as my hair wont be green or some other mad colour. I would go crazy!’
‘œOkay, Yory, come near. This time you don’™t have to think at all. Just relax, okay?’
I shut my eyes tight. I had learned by now that Kossy’™s magics could go wildly wrong. I was afraid now anything might happen.’  Maybe I would turn into a rabbit or something? I was really scared.
I heard Kossy say something.
‘œThere! That does it.’  You’™re back as you were.’
But I was afraid to look, what with magic mirrors and a colour-blind magician who can get things wrong. Anyway, I opened my eyes suddenly and looked into the mirror.’ 
When I saw myself I thought I would truly go mad. How would you like to see your hair suddenly purple? Well that’™s what I felt.. I was sure I’™d never again be what I was.
‘œKossy what have you done! I’™ll never be the same again! This is terrible! What am I going to do? The whole world will tease me now.’  You must get me out of this!’
Kossy answered gently: ‘œDon’™t be upset my boy. It must be the mirror! It is a very special one used by my father. He was a better magician than I’™ll ever be. But you can’™t always depend on what you see in it. It depends what the person looking is feeling.’  The mirror must feel your worry about the colour of your hair and is confused. I never should have taken it out. I don’™t like mirrors. Go home, Yory and look into your mirror there, I’™m sure you will be happy again.’
But I wasn’™t sure at all. Anyway, I ran. ‘œI’™ll know if I’™m back to normal by what
Mum says.’’  I must have got there in five minutes flat.
As soon as Ma saw me I heard the worst: ‘œMy dear boy. I’™m so happy to see you. I will always love you whatever colour your hair is,’ and she actually kissed me on the top of my head. I knew it – the worst had come true.
I went sadly over to the mirror in the hall, anyway. For a long time I stood silent my eyes tightly shut. How would I live with my friends?’  I was a freak and would remain one! Then I plucked up courage and opened my eyes.
‘ ‘œMa,’ I shouted, ‘œIt’™s red! Do you hear? I’™m the same as I was!’ I was so happy I began dancing around the flat. ‘œI’™m so happy to be red again!’
‘œOf course, the green colour was terrible. You gave me a terrible fright. It’™s best to be natural. How did you do such a quick change? It was like magic!
If only she knew how right she was! But I never would tell Ma ‘“ she might even have fainted. I just said: ‘œMa, you’™re right. I think it’™s best being like God made me.’ But I also swore I’™d never let Kossy do another magic on me.
Then Ma said, ‘œYory, tell me, who is this man, Kossy?’
But I thought I better not tell. ‘œJust some old man,’ I said.