It was summer! The sun was out, and the air was warm and bright. Scarlett loved summer! Everything seemed cheerful and colorful, as if the sun was always smiling! Scarlett and her family had just moved from their house in Seattle to a nearby farm. They wanted to be closer to nature.
Scarlett loved the move! She could play freely there, especially with her superpower, Dancing endlessly! She would twirl and spin in the fields, her blonde hair flying around her face. She loved how the wind would tickle her nose. The farm was a wonderland. There was a beautiful, peaceful stream that ran through the middle of it, and a sparkling lake where Scarlett could swim! She would spend hours splashing in the cool water, making a big splash every time she jumped in!
There were so many animals on the farm! There were cows, sheep, chickens, and even a friendly dog named Max! Scarlett liked to watch the animals, especially the storks! They walked so gracefully! Scarlett tried to imitate the storks' walk, stretching her arms out like wings and taking big steps. This showed how elegant she was!
One day, Scarlett was playing with the ducklings in the lake. She saw a duck sitting on a bunch of eggs! It was a magical moment! Scarlett saw the eggs starting to crack, and little ducklings began hatching! The ducklings were so cute! They were soft and fluffy, with tiny yellow beaks. But one egg, the largest of all, didn't hatch. The duck seemed worried, but she kept sitting on it.
Days later, Scarlett returned to the lake. The duck was gone! The large egg had cracked, and among the ducklings, there was another baby! This baby duck was bigger than the others. It had different colored feathers, a different beak, and a different manner. It seemed sad.
Scarlett, who easily made friends with animals, went to talk to the different duckling. "Why are you sad? There's a whole farm and a beautiful garden to explore!" she said.
The duckling looked at her with big, sad eyes. "I'm different from my siblings, and I don't feel good about it. All the other ducks in the lake laugh at me, and I feel bad."
Scarlett smiled. "We would love to have you as a friend! Come play with us tomorrow. I know a special place where we can hide and play." Scarlett told the duckling about her secret hiding place, the Lake of swans. It was a beautiful place with crystal-clear water and lots of green grass.
Scarlett returned the next day as promised, but the duckling was no longer there. He was so sad that he decided to leave and try to find other friends. But this didn't work out either. Everywhere he went, the other ducks mocked him.
It was a difficult journey for the duckling. The seasons changed, and he always had to move. He never seemed to be welcomed. He only felt embraced by nature. He loved the warm sun in the summer and the cool breeze in the fall.
Scarlett played by the lake every day but never saw her duckling friend. She loved to practice her ballet moves there. She would twirl and leap, her blonde hair flying behind her like a golden waterfall. She loved the feeling of the sun on her face and the wind in her hair.
Spring arrived, and the duckling loved spring just as Scarlett loved summer! He felt the warmth of the sun on his feathers and the scent of flowers in the air.
After a long and difficult journey, the duckling found himself near the lake where he was born. He approached cautiously, not wanting his siblings to laugh at him. But when he reached the water's edge, he saw his reflection, like in a mirror! He was no longer an ugly duckling but a beautiful swan! That's why everyone thought he was so strange!
That day, Scarlett went to play in the water. She recognized her friend! It was a special reunion! Scarlett was amazed at her friend, now a swan, considering her elegant personality. She couldn't believe how graceful he was. They finally played joyfully! They swam and chased each other, their laughter echoing across the lake.
Scarlett and the swan understood that being strange wasn't wrong but just being who they are! Being strange is being different, and everyone is!
And isn't being different just being who we are?
