Unshackling the Ugly Duckling

Once upon a time in a nearby southern swamp, there was a very lonely mallard named Ugly Duckling. It always whines that belonging to a cultured farm isn’t home. It doesn’t even know if dreaming of emancipation will make a difference. Weary and derailed of ordinary mere existence, it went away to find what’s missing. On a warm Friday night, Ugly Duckling met a stranger in a fancy poultry. 

“Dear stranger,

Quack, quack, quacks...”

Ugly Duckling suddenly got reluctant of itself. There was bashfulness it can’t hardly open its bills. Without getting nervy, they nattered. Exchanging quacks and squeaks with the stranger, who happened to be a very fine Swan – was undiscernibly awkward. Eating a bowl of Sicilian feeds and red-sauced worms, they went along. They nattered and blathered.

“Quack, quack, quackle...”

The Swan spread its wings and bade goodbye. Ugly Duckling was still there. Still ugly and lost, it looked ahead in an empty misty space. Ugly Duckling smiled.