***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...
Mama pulls me into her feather soft yet unyielding embrace. Great aunt Anna screeches frantically, pulling Edward's lifeless body from me and onto the grass verge by the canal.
"That was a stupid, stupid thing you did," great aunt Anna says watching Mama compress Edward's chest several times.
"I'm...sorry...I wasn't...thinking," I reply still breathless.
"If you'd been hurt in that stunt, it would've broken your Mama's heart," she suddenly smirks, "but then you saved a life. There's Duck in you after all."
My chest swells out, great aunt Anna, who pushed me in the canal thinking I may be a Rooster was beginning to think of me as an honorary duck.
Edward has cream and grey drenched feathers as he coughs out water. He opens eyes so dark they reflect back what he sees. The black orbs sparkle like black diamonds.
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He sits up self-consciously. Black eyes seek out Louise. "I couldn't get free from the seaweed," he says to Louise who places a wing over his trembling body.
"It was an accident," she murmurs.
With his sister's wings about her, Edward turns to Mama, "Thank you Mrs. Duck I'm grateful for your prompt rescue."
"My, my," she exclaims, "Even if I was blind, I'd know your noble heritage. It's in your graceful movements, bearing and fine way of speaking. Look at how he holds his neck Ebony, you should emulate that instead of letting your oversized head weigh down your neck."
