The Brave Baby Duckling

The Brave Baby Duckling

On one comer of the lake lived a family of ducks. A father-pa-duck, mother-Ma-duck, sister-Sa-duck and a baby boy- Ba-duck. They all loved each other very much. But there was one problem. Ba-duck did not want to swim! Every time, anyone tried to teach him he would just stand there and look at them. “I don’t want to swim, I feel scared”.

“there is nothing to be scared of,” Ma-duck hugged him and tried to convince him. But no, he would refused to learn. He did move his feet up and down which made him very happy. “Ah ha, I can move my feet. Look, look!

Pitter, patter, pitter, patter

He would go on and on. But no swimming. They gave up.

One day, early in the morning, his parents decided to visit their parents, who lived on the other end of the lake. Perhaps, they thought, they could advise them as to how to teach Ba-duck to swim. So the parents left their children after taking a promise from Sa-duck that she would protect her little brother and that they would stay near the shore. Ba-duck was sleeping when they left. On waking up he began to cry for Ma-duck. “where is Mama? I want to go to her”.

Boo Hoo Boo Hoo

Boo Hoo Boo Hoo

His big, black eyes looked so sad.

“don’t cry, they will be back soon. They have gone to visit our grandparents,” Sa-duck tried to comfort Ba-duck. but the kept wailing and she played all sorts of games with him to cheer him up. She would dive down into the water and then come up from behind, sending him into peels and peels of laughter.

Heeeeeeee, heeeeeeee

Soon Sa-duck also got tired and told Ba-duck that she would go for a quick swim to stretch out her muscles and feathers. Ba-duck did not like the idea, but did not want to disappoint his lovely sister who took such good care of him. So he quietly nodded. Sa-duck patted his cheek, gave him a little kiss and off she went. Sa-duck swam away quickly towards the middle of the lake, where the water was the deepest. Soon she was out of sight.

Suddenly there was a loud sound!

Thadda,

Pit, Pit, Pit, Pit, Pit, Pit, Pit Pit, Pit

Thadda, sounded the thunder angrily. “where was Sa-duck?” Ba-duck thought worriedly? “she had been gone for such a long time. I hope she is fine. Please take care of my sister, she is fine. Please take care of my sister, god,” he prayed. But the rain just went on and on, and became faster, louder and louder till Ba-duck had to cover his ears to keep the sound out.

In the middle of the lake Sa-duck had lost her way. She was crying, “please some one help me. Please help me.”

HELP Meeeeeeee

Only thunder answered her back. But back on the shore, Ba-duck had heard his sister’s cries for help. He looked around wondering what to do and then without thinking he began to swim. Yes! He began to swim, as fast as his two little feet could allow him.

He swam, and soon reached his sister. He bravely caught hold of her hand and brought her back to the safety of the shore. Just then their parents also arrived.

Everyone had their mouths open, eyes wide in surprises Ba-duck had learnt to swim, and that too in a heavy storm, and saved his sister too. They all hugged him and congratulated him. They no longer had to worry about him not swimming. In fact he was so excited that now he swam all the time, took no rest except when he fell asleep!