Once Upon a Time Near a Pond – The Beginning of The Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF
Once upon a time, in a quiet village, a mother duck sat on her eggs near a clear, sparkling pond. She waited patiently for them to hatch. One sunny morning, the eggs started cracking. Out came five cute, yellow ducklings with soft feathers and happy faces.
But one egg, the biggest one, cracked last. From it came a large, grey duckling. He didn’t look like the others. He was not yellow or fluffy. His feathers were dull, and he was bigger and clumsier.
The other ducklings stared and laughed.
“Look at his big feet!”
“Why is he so ugly?” they whispered.
Even the chickens and goats on the farm made fun of him. The mother duck tried to love him, but it was hard when everyone else teased him. The poor duckling felt lonely, sad, and unwanted.
So one morning, with tears in his eyes, the ugly duckling left the pond. He walked away from home, hoping to find a place where he belonged.
A Friend in Feathers – Meet Toby in The Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF
As the ugly duckling walked through the forest, he met a small brown bird sitting on a tree branch. His name was Toby, a brave little sparrow with a big heart.
“Why are you crying?” Toby asked kindly.
“Everyone laughs at me. They say I’m ugly. I don’t belong anywhere,” replied the duckling sadly.
Toby flew down beside him.
“You are not ugly,” Toby said. “You are just different. Sometimes, being different makes you special. Come with me, and let’s find a place where you feel happy.”
The ugly duckling smiled for the first time in days. Together, they started a new journey filled with adventures.
In the Middle of the Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF – Hard Times and Hope
Toby and the duckling visited many places—deep forests, wide rivers, and snowy fields. But every animal they met made fun of the duckling’s looks.
“You look strange,” said a fox.
“Why is your neck so long?” laughed a squirrel.
The duckling felt hurt, but Toby stayed by his side. On one very cold night, they found shelter in a cave. The duckling was tired and cold.
“Maybe I really am just an ugly duck,” he said, tears freezing on his cheeks.
Toby put a warm wing around him.
“The moon looks small from far away, but it lights up the night. You also have light inside you. Don’t stop now. You’re stronger than you think.”
The duckling smiled and held on to Toby’s words. They spent the winter together, sharing food, stories, and dreams.
A Magical Twist – The Mirror Moment in the Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF
When spring returned, flowers bloomed, and birds sang. Toby and the duckling found a beautiful pond surrounded by tall grass and butterflies. It was peaceful.
As the duckling leaned over the water to drink, he saw his reflection… and froze.
His feathers were no longer grey—they were snow white. His neck was long and elegant. His body was smooth and strong.
“I… I look beautiful!” he said in shock.
“You’re not a duck anymore,” Toby laughed. “You’re a swan! You were never ugly. You just hadn’t grown into who you were meant to be.”
Soon, a group of graceful swans swam over.
“You are one of us,” they said kindly.
The duckling—now a swan—felt joy like never before. He had found his real family.
A Happy Ending – The Message of the Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF
The swan thanked Toby with all his heart. Without his friend’s kindness and belief, he might never have made it this far.
Even after joining the swans, he never forgot his past. He often returned to the old pond, where he once cried alone.
There, he told his story to young ducklings who felt different.
“You don’t need to look like others to be special,” he said.
“You just need to believe in yourself—and sometimes, it takes time to see how beautiful you really are.”
Toby stayed by his side forever, proud of the friend he helped grow.
Moral of the Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF
Being different is not a bad thing. Sometimes, it means you are growing into someone amazing. Like in The Ugly Duckling Short Story PDF (2025), real beauty is found in kindness, courage, and never giving up on yourself.
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Hi, I’m Ayesha Khan – a storyteller at LittleTales.site. I write fun and magical stories for kids with lessons that inspire kindness, courage, and imagination.
