HOW DUCKS WERE NAMED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 173, 24 July 1942, Page 3

HOW DUCKS WERE NAMED

This story begins in the days when the world was very young and no birds or animals or flowers had names. One day the wind blew round the rivers and ponds calling: "The Fairy Queen is holding a christening party. She will give names to all those who attend her party." "Quack! Quack!" said all the ducks excitedly (though, of course, they weren't called ducks then). There were many ducks on the lake to which the wind had gone and also two lovely swans (though they weren't called swans, either). But when the swans sailed out from the reeds, ready for the party, the little ducks felt they were much too dull-look-mg beside them, and decided sadly not to go. "Please give the Queen our love and say we aren't coming because we are so muoh less grand-looking than you," they quacked to the swans. Off went the swans, holding their heads high, and looking very tall and stately. The little ducks crowded together and wished they could see the Queen, too. "But she couldn't have meant us," they sighed. "Oh, but I did mean them," said the Queen anxiously, when the swans took the message. "They must come, the darlings. It was sweet of them to send me their love. I shall go straight away to them myself and take my love with me." The lake was filled with ducks, all talking sadly about the party and wishing they could see the Queen, when suddenly something happened. "Lo-o-ok!" quacked one of them, and all the rest looked up. There above the lake, flying towards them, looking very lovely and wearing her crown, came the Fairy Queen. "Thank you for your love, darlings," Bhe said. "Of course 1 meant you all to come. But as you were too shy, I've come to you instead. You're loyal subjects, all of you, and your names shall be ducks. Whenever you see me, duck your heads, and that will always mean that you are my loyal servants." "We'll always do that," quacked the ducks. And they always have, ever since. When you see a duck duck its head suddenly into the water, it means that, although we can't see them, the ducks are seeing the fairies flying overhead.