It was summer! The sun was bright and warm, making everything around Ethan look cheerful and colorful. It was like the sun was always smiling! Ethan loved summer! This summer was even more special because his family had moved from their house in Indianapolis to a farm nearby. His family wanted to be closer to nature, and Ethan liked that a lot!
There was a lot of space for Ethan to run around. He loved playing on the farm. It was even better because of his special superpower—Ethan could walk on water! The farm had a beautiful, peaceful stream and a lake where Ethan could swim! He could even walk on the water! Ethan was so happy to live on the farm.
There were many animals on the farm, but Ethan was most interested in the storks. They had such long legs, and they walked so gracefully! Ethan tried to imitate the storks’ walk. He was so intelligent that he could almost do it!
One day, Ethan was playing with the ducklings in the lake when he saw a duck sitting on some eggs! It was magical! Ethan watched as the eggs started to crack, and little ducklings hatched! But one egg, the biggest of all, didn't hatch. The duck seemed worried but kept sitting on it.
Days later, Ethan went back to the lake. The duck was gone! The big egg had cracked, and there was a new baby duckling, bigger than the others, with different colored feathers, a different beak, and a different manner. It looked sad.
Ethan loved making friends with animals. He went to talk to the strange duckling and asked him why he was sad. There was a whole farm and a beautiful garden to explore!
“I'm sad because I'm different from my siblings, and I don't feel good about it," the duckling said. "All the other ducks in the lake laugh at me, and it makes me feel bad.”
“Oh, no!” Ethan said, “We will love having you as our friend! Come back tomorrow, and we’ll play together. I know a great place!” Ethan told the duckling about his secret hiding place, the Mysterious Lake. It was a safe place for them to play!
Ethan went back to the lake the next day, but the duckling was gone. The duckling was so sad that he decided to leave and try to find other friends. He tried, but it didn’t work out. 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 because he never seemed to be welcomed. Only nature made him feel embraced.
Ethan played by the lake every day, but he never saw his duckling friend again. He started to enjoy fishing in the lake. He was very good at it!
Spring arrived, and the duckling loved spring just as much as Ethan loved summer! 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, Ethan went to play in the water. He saw his friend! What a special reunion! Ethan was amazed at his friend, now a swan! Ethan’s intelligent mind was blown! They finally played joyfully!
Ethan and the swan understood that being strange wasn’t wrong. It was just being who they are! Being strange is being different, and everyone is!
And isn’t being different just being who we are?
