THE READING NOOK The Duck Who Would Not Swim

photos and story by Janine Smalley

Once upon a time, at Whispering Acres Farm, there was a little duck named Daisy.

Even though she looked like some of the other animals on the farm, she knew that she was different.

You see, Daisy McDuckerman was afraid of the water. She could not swim like all of the other ducks and geese.

She would get up every morning with the crows of the roosters and say, “Today is the day, I am going to go swimming with the rest of the ducks.”

Then, with a deep breath, she would put her bill high in the air, stretch out her neck and take the bravest step toward the pond.

Daisy tried with all her might, but she just could not step off of the shore into the pond. She would get to the edge, stick her toes in, get scared, pull her webbed foot back, and then try again.

All of the other ducks were jumping, splashing and diving under the water, quacking with delight in the early morning sunshine.

But no matter how brave she would tell herself that she was, she just could not join them. Listening to the others laugh at her, she put her head down and waddled back to safety under the beautiful and fragrant lilac bush.

So, while all the other ducks were out splashing and playing in the pond, Daisy just sat and watched. It made her sad that she could not get up the courage to do the same things the other ducks were doing.

As she would sit in the shade, she would take a deep breath and wish with all of her heart that she would find a friend that liked her, even though she was different.

The sun rose and set many times, and Daisy continued with her same daily routine. Little did she know that things were about to change.

Daisy was sitting in the yard, playing in a very shallow mud puddle, and munching on some yummy green beans when she heard the rumbling of tires pulling down the gravel driveway of her farm home. When the dust settled, she saw that a big, shiny black truck had pulled up next to the barn.

There was Something in that truck was making a strange sound, a sound that Daisy had never heard before. At first, the sound scared her, but then, as she listened more, she realized it was a happy sound.

Daisy perked her head up and listened more to the highpitched squeals followed by some grunts and then another squealing set of “squeeeeeeeeeeeee, squeeeeeeeee, squeeeeeeeeeeee.”

Daisy was getting excited. It always was fun to meet the new friends that came to the farm.

Just then, the truck door opened and she saw a ramp come out. Down the ramp came something that sounded like a giant to Daisy.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom,” clapped the feet down the ramp.

To read the rest of the story, go to https://bit.ly/3lk1Dck