"The Ugly Duckling"

 

Hi, Dreamer!

 

Close your eyes and listen—can you feel the quiet magic of the night? Some things in life take time to show their true colors. Tonight’s story is about patience, growth, and discovering who you’re meant to be. Let’s begin.”

 

One warm morning, in a quiet countryside pond, a mother duck sat patiently on her nest, waiting for her eggs to hatch. She had been waiting for so long, and now, at last, they began to crack.

“Tchick! Tchick!” Tiny yellow ducklings tumbled out, blinking in the sunlight.

“Welcome, my little ones,” the mother said warmly, nuzzling them. But then, she noticed one egg—the largest of them all—still hadn’t hatched.

She tilted her head. “This one is taking its time,” she murmured.

Days passed, and finally, the big egg cracked open. Out tumbled a large, grey duckling. His feathers were dull, his body was lanky, and his neck was longer than the others’.

The mother duck hesitated for a moment before smiling softly. “You’re different, but that’s alright. Come along, let’s see how well you swim.”

 

The next day, the mother led her ducklings to the pond.

“Into the water, little ones! Let’s see what you can do.”

One by one, the ducklings splashed in, paddling easily. Even the grey duckling floated just fine.

“Not bad at all,” the mother said with relief. “Maybe everything will be just fine.”

But when they arrived at the farmyard, the teasing began.

A plump, old duck waddled over and squawked, “What is that strange-looking thing doing here?”

A rooster flapped his wings and laughed, “Are you sure he’s yours? Just look at him!”

Even the yellow ducklings giggled. “He doesn’t look like us at all,” they whispered.

The grey duckling lowered his head, hoping to disappear. He tried to play with the other ducklings, but they pecked and pushed him away. Even his own siblings stayed away from him.

His mother watched as he tried again and again to fit in. She would pull him close with her wing, but she couldn’t protect him from the way the others treated him. Though she never said it aloud, the grey duckling could feel that she, too, wished things were different.

That night, as he lay awake, he made a decision. Maybe there’s a place where I belong. I just have to find it.

And with that thought, he quietly slipped away.

 

He wandered through fields and marshes, searching for a home.

By a quiet lake, he met a pair of wild ducks.

“Who are you?” they asked, tilting their heads.

“I… I don’t know,” the duckling murmured. “I was chased away for being different.”

The wild ducks shrugged. “Well, you’re odd-looking, but as long as you don’t bother us, you can stay.”

For a moment, the grey duckling felt a flicker of hope. But before he could settle in, a loud BANG! rang through the air.

Hunters!

Birds flapped their wings in panic, taking off into the sky. The grey duckling ran as fast as he could, his heart pounding. He dove into the reeds, waiting for the world to quiet down again.

When he finally dared to peek out from his hiding place, the once-lush land had begun to change. The days grew shorter, the wind turned colder, and soon, winter arrived.

 

The duckling had never known such cold. The pond, once full of life, froze over. The biting wind cut through his thin feathers. He curled up in the snow, too weak to move.

One morning, a kind farmer found him frozen in the ice.

“Poor little thing,” the farmer said gently, breaking the ice and scooping him up.

The warmth of the farmer’s home felt like a dream. For the first time in months, the duckling wasn’t shivering.

But soon, the farmer’s children discovered him.

“Look! A funny little bird!” they squealed, chasing him around the house.

The duckling panicked, flapping his wings wildly. He knocked over a milk pail, sending milk splashing everywhere.

“Shoo, shoo! What a mess!” the farmer’s wife cried.

Terrified, the duckling ran back outside, shivering as the icy wind wrapped around him. Days and nights passed, each one as cold and lonely as the last.

But just when he thought he couldn’t bear it any longer, the ice began to thaw, and the air softened with warmth. Spring was finally returning.

And one day, as he wandered, he stumbled upon a sparkling pond.

 

Across the water, a group of majestic white swans glided gracefully.

Their beauty took his breath away.

“I could never belong with them,” he whispered. “But I would rather be near them than alone.”

With cautious steps, he approached the water.

But instead of chasing him away, the swans turned to him with kind, welcoming eyes.

“Come,” one of them said gently.

The duckling hesitated. He had been rejected so many times—why would this be any different?

Then, as he bent down to the water, he gasped.

The reflection staring back at him was not an ugly duckling—it was a swan.

His dull feathers had turned pure white. His long neck was no longer awkward but elegant and strong.

Children on the shore clapped and cheered.

“Look at the new swan! How beautiful!”

The young swan spread his wings, feeling the warmth of the sun.

He had simply needed time to grow. Every challenge, every lonely night had led him to this moment—where he could finally see himself as he was always meant to be.

 

You know, Dreamer…

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong?

Like no matter how hard you try, you just don’t fit in?

The little duckling felt that way too. But he didn’t know what was waiting for him. He didn’t realize that his difference wasn’t a flaw—it was his strength.

You are still growing, just like he was.

And maybe, just maybe, you’re on your way to becoming something more wonderful than you ever imagined.

So don’t let the tough moments stop you. Keep going. Keep believing in yourself.

Because one day, you’ll look back and see—you were something special all along.

 

Good night, Dreamer.