The Ugly Duckling
A Stories Aloud original adaptation of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
She had been waiting for this moment for weeks.
One little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
A tiny baby duckling kicked himself out of his egg and looked at her.
“Quack,” said the little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
“Quack,” replied his mother with a smile.
One more little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
This one pushed the top of his egg off with his head and blinked at his new world.
“Quack,” said the little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
“Quack,” replied his mother with a wink.
Another little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
This duckling pecked the egg with his beak until it fell away. Then he turned to his mother.
“Quack,” said the little, fluffy, yellow duckling.
“Quack,” replied his mother with a wiggle.
Three lovely little, fluffy, yellow ducklings.
“Quack, Quack,” they all said as Mother Duck swept them all up in her wings and hugged and kissed them.
Mother turned to look at the last egg. It had always been an odd egg. Instead of white, it was grey. Instead of small, it was big.
Mother and her three little, fluffy, yellow ducklings gathered round to greet the last arrival. He was having some trouble climbing out of his big grey egg. He got the top off, but as he was trying to climb out, the egg went rolling off down the hill.
“Quack,” they all cried as they ran along behind it.
The egg smashed against a rock – leaving their very dizzy brother sitting on his head.
“Quack,” said his mother as she rushed to help him.
“Quack,” said his brothers as they dusted him off.
“Quack,” they all said with a welcoming smile.
“Honk!”
The first little, fluffy, yellow duckling looked at the second little, fluffy, yellow duckling and the second little, fluffy, yellow duckling looked at the third little, fluffy, yellow duckling and then all the little, fluffy, yellow ducklings looked a Mother Duck who said, “Quack,” and she scooped up her new son with her wings and hugged and kissed him.
There is so much more to this classic story of The Ugly Duckling.
Our ugly duckling gets laughed at for being big and grey instead of small and yellow. One day, he feels so sad that he runs away from the barn. He makes his home in a moor where there are wild ducks and geese. There are many dangers for our poor duckling. But then winter sets in and he nearly freezes to death. But when spring returns, he meets some beautiful swans who tell him that he has been a swan all along. Before leaving for new lands, he visits his family to say goodbye.
This is a beautiful story about being different and special, and about acceptance.
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