and I'm joined here with my daughter Julianna Bear!

And today we're gonna read The Ugly Duckling here on Cool School.

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Once, a very long time ago,

there was a big beautiful pond at which all of the animals played.

There were squirrels, raccoons, and mice,

chipmunks and baby bears and all sorts of creatures.

But more than any of them were the birds!

There were geese and ducks,

robins and bluebirds,

chickadees and eagles,

and of course the most beautiful of them all,

the swans!

Every year, around the same time, all the animals would gather

and they would bring all their little babies, so they would get a chance to play together.

This particular year there was a little bird named Milton,

who’s egg got mixed up with the wrong bunch.

When he hatched, he didn’t look like all the other ducklings.

In fact, he looked VERY different.

Well as the spring turned into summer, all the little animals started to change.

They began to grow into very active little birds, who liked to get into trouble.

And they would make fun of Milton!

“You’re so ugly even a turkey wouldn’t be your friend”

Well all of this being made fun of didn’t feel so good to Milton.

Every time he tried to play dodgeball with the duck babies,

they’d all get him out first!

Even the duckies on his own team!

And every time he tried Swimming with the Swan babies,

they’d swim so fast that Milton would be left behind!

And every time he tried Gabbing with the Goose babies,

they'd just giggle about Milton until he went away!

He didn’t seem fit in anywhere!

And it wasn’t like he was really UGLY.

He was just a little different.

Well summer came to an end, and all the babe learned to fly…

except Milton, for his wings were far too short.

“Just another thing I’m not good at,” he thought

as he watched the geese,

ducks,

robbins,

bluebirds,

chickadees,

and eagles leave their summer home.

“I guess I’ll just stay here and freeze all winter,”

he thought as the swans flew beautifully into the air.

Milton sulked as he watched the squirrels, Raccoons, and Mice, chipmunks and baby bears all slip into the woods for their hibernation.

The days got shorter, and air got colder, and the pond froze over.

Milton found a small cave among the rocks and climbed inside,

where he spent the winter alone wishing that in the spring none of the birds would return.

But spring came, and so did the birds.

All the little babies had grown up,

and they were all calling out for Milton.

“I bet he’s uglier than ever”

“I bet he’s so ugly, that he ran away and he’ll never come back”

and they laughed and laughed and laughed,

until they heard a rustling behind them,

and out of the cave down by the rocks came the most magnificent bird they had ever seen!

Turquoise and yellow and black!

Colors everywhere!

He was even more beautiful than even the flock of swans.

Milton was the most beautiful bird in the land

because Milton was a peacock!

So thank you so much for joining us in today's story!

Don't forget to subscribe for MORE wonderful stories, and we'll catch you later! Bye!!

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