Being a full time mom is a lot of fun but I must say that it has it's fair share of challenges. One of my recent ones being that my five year old daughter who loves listening to fairy tales, folklores and fables, want to make sure she is a part of it. 'Twist the story mommy, I want to be in it,' she would say.
So here is my version of 'the ugly duckling'...with a twist of course.Thought I will share it with the other mommies who too soon might have to transform their little ones into super heroes, princesses or valiant knights.
A little lost duckling
By Aswathy Kumar
Finally the last big egg popped open. But to the mother duck's surprise the duckling looked nothing like her other babies. Neither was she yellow nor was she pretty.
'You can't be my baby,' quacked the mother duck angrily.' 'You are too ugly. Go away.'
The poor duckling walked and walked searching for someone who would give her a home. She came across many other animals and birds but no one wanted to take her in.
'Yeoow, you are so ugly, go away,' croaked the frog before disappearing into the pond with a splash.
'Those gray feathers are so not attractive...off you go,' said the flamingo before shooing away the poor little duckling away from her nest.
The poor little duckling kept walking, hoping to find a place to sleep that night. She felt cold, hungry and her tiny little feet had started to hurt.
The duckling looked around to see if there was anyone who could help her. By now, she left the forest far behind and now stood in front of a beautiful bricked cottage. A little girl with long black curls was busy tidying up her toys from her sand-pit. She saw the poor duckling and quickly hurried towards the poor helpless bird.
' Hello there...aren't you the most adorable thing I have ever seen. I am Vedika by the way.' The little girl moved forward and gave out her hand.
'Adorable? Me?' said the little duckling looking around to see who the girl was talking to.
'Of course you are..in fact the cutest I have ever seen. Would you like to come in? I can make you some corn soup.'
The duckling felt so happy. No one had been this kind to her.
After a hearty meal and all warmed up in a cosy basket next to Vedika's bed, the duckling began to tell her new friend all about her sad story.
' Oh you poor thing. You will never have to feel alone ever again. You and I will be best buds forever,' said Vedika hugging her new found friend.
Many many days passed. And the duckling was having a wonderful time with her new curly haired friend. They swam together in the pool and played all day long in the moist mushy lawns of the garden. But one day Vedika saw her little friend looking rather sad.
' What happened, my dear friend?' she asked.
' I know you have been a wonderful friend to me but I do miss my family?'
' But we are family,' replied Vedika, feeling a little hurt.
' I know we are...but I too want to get my mommy's kisses and hugs.'
Vedika understood. She knew how good it felt every night when she cuddled with her mommy as they read her favorite book. Her mommy would hug her till she fell asleep and wake her up the next day with a thousand kisses. The little duckling didn't have that and Vedika felt bad.
' My little duckling. I think it's time we went to look for your family.'
The next day Vedika filled her back pack with all her essential camping gear. She packed her purple folding tinker bell tent, a box of her favorite oreo cookies, her princess bottle filled with water, her favorite plush doggy and off they went to find her little duckling's lost family.
Many many days passed...but still no luck. On the last day of the search, Vedika awoke to the sound of birds chirping and a nearby waterfall splashing onto the rocks. Her little friend slept huddled right beside her.
But to Vedika's surprise, the duckling that had lay beside her the previous night looked nothing like her gray feathered friend with the deep black patchy eyes. She looked beautiful. Her beak had turned to a crimson red and her ivory white feathers glistened in the morning sun.
'Vedika excitedly shook her sleeping friend. 'Wake up, wake up, I know where we can find your family.'
They soon came by a beautiful meadow surrounded by blue snow capped mountains. Tiny drops of dew shone like little stars on its grasslands and pretty yellow tulips lay scattered all over the greens.
'Look you are home,' pointed out Vedika to a group of swans swimming majestically beside the raging waterfall.
'That's not my family. They are so beautiful,' replied the little duckling disappointedly.
Vedika smiled and pulled her friend closer to the lake. 'Look,' she said pointing out to the reflection.
The little duckling moved closer and peeped into the water. She was no longer the ugly duckling. She had transformed into a beautiful white swan, no different from the ones that stood in front of her.
The swans were very happy to get their sister back. The mother swan told them all about how an evil eagle had stolen her egg while she was sleeping and how she had been searching for her little one ever since.
Soon it was time for Vedika to go back home. They all gave her a ride home on their backs and Vedika had a lot of fun playing hide and seek behind the floating clouds.
'I will never forget you my dear friend, ' sobbed the little swan as she hugged her curly haired friend. 'And you would always be my best friend," replied Vedika. Though she knew she would miss her best friend terribly, she was happy that her little swan was home at last, right where she belonged.
The End
