It was summer! The sun was hot, the flowers were colorful, and the air smelled sweet. Lily loved summer! Everything seemed cheerful and colorful, as if the sun was always smiling! Lily’s family had moved from their house in Washington to a nearby farm. They wanted to be closer to nature, and Lily loved it!
The farm was full of animals, and Lily could play freely there. The best part was that she had a superpower: Talking to forest animals! They were her friends, and she loved to listen to their stories. There was a beautiful, peaceful stream on the farm, and a lake where Lily could swim! It was the perfect place to spend her summer.
Lily was always fascinated by the storks. They had such long legs, and they walked so gracefully! Lily tried to imitate their walk, pretending she was a stork too! She loved being friendly with the animals.
One day, Lily was playing with the ducklings in the lake. They were so cute, with their tiny yellow feathers! Suddenly, Lily saw a duck sitting on eggs. What a magical moment! Lily watched as the eggs started to crack, and little ducklings hatched!
But one egg, the biggest of them all, didn’t hatch. The duck seemed worried but kept sitting on it.
Days later, Lily went back to the lake, and the duck was gone. But the large egg had cracked! And there, among the ducklings, was another baby duck! It was bigger than the others, with different colored feathers, a different beak, and a different manner. It seemed sad.
Lily went to talk to the strange duckling. “Why are you sad?” she asked. “There’s a whole farm and a beautiful garden to explore!”
The duckling looked at Lily with big, sad eyes. “I’m different from my siblings,” he said. “I don’t feel good about it. All the other ducks in the lake laugh at me.”
Lily smiled. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll love having you as our friend. Come back tomorrow, and we’ll play together!” Lily told the duckling about her secret hideout: the Enchanted Forest. It was a safe place where they could play and be themselves.
The next day, Lily returned to the lake, but the duckling was gone. Lily learned that he had been so sad that he had decided to leave and try to find other friends. But 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. He only felt embraced by nature.
Lily played by the lake every day, but she never saw her duckling friend. She spent her time playing with the other animals, her interest in them growing stronger every day.
Spring arrived, and the duckling loved spring just as Lily 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 in the water, 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, Lily went to play in the water and recognized her friend! What a special reunion! Lily was amazed at her friend, now a swan, considering her Friendly personality! They finally played joyfully!
Lily 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?
