***FREE STORY***This multimedia retelling of 'The Ugly Duckling' has bonus material; an English translation of the original fairy tale published by Hans Christian Andersen on November, 11, 1843 to critical acclaim (chapters ten to thirteen) and a sh...
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"What have you done," cries Mama dipping her head under the dark canal waters searching frantically for me. "I don't see him."
"Anne-Marie, TUD was either going to sink or swim," great aunt Anna replies unconcerned. "He's sunk, we still have three healthy ducklings to raise."
"Oh my God," Mama says frantically, "I don't see him. Help me look," she pleads with great aunt Anna.
Their heads are submerged in the dark waters of the canal, their backsides sticking as their movements cause the water to ripple.
I giggle at the sight when I resurface then screech, "I'm over here Mama," I say wadding on the surface of the water towards her.
"You scared me half to death Ebony. Don't you ever do that to your Mama again, you hear me," she yodelles.
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"I'm sorry Mama," I bow my head in remorse.
"And that goes to you too great aunt Anna. Ebony is part of this family. If we don't waddle into the farm united as a family, the other ducks will reject him on sight."
"I'm sorry Anne-Marie, I got carried away wanting to prove whether or not he could swim."
"Your experiment could have killed him. Life is hard those who are different. We need to give Ebony the confidence to face a world where people make snap judgements based on appearance."
Great Aunt Anna shakes water from her snow white feathers looking chastened.
"I've never seen a newly hatched duckling dive or swim that fast under water. Have you ever seen anything like it?"
"I haven't," great aunt Anna turns to me and cooes bobbing her head, "I'm sorry Ebony. I shouldn't have shoved you into the canal."
"I'm fine great aunt Anna, its fun swimming under water and blowing bubbles."
"Show me how to swim like that," Billy asks.
"No son. We're dabbling ducks. We don't fully submerge our bodies under water. Now gather around me," Mama whistles putting down a selection of small fish and sweet grasses.
