One bright, sunny day Pippo and his wise friend LongBeard went for a walk. They enjoyed walking along the footpaths of the forest, talking to each other and saying hello to the creatures of nature.
Suddenly Pippo heard a faint quack. They stopped and listened carefully. There it was again - a very faint, weak sounding quack. Pippo and LongBeard walked towards where they heard the sound coming from and under a bush they found a green duck, every now and again quacking faintly.
Suddenly Pippo heard a faint quack. They stopped and listened carefully. There it was again - a very faint, weak sounding quack. Pippo and LongBeard walked towards where they heard the sound coming from and under a bush they found a green duck, every now and again quacking faintly.
"Oh dear," said Pippo to his friend LongBeard, "what do we do now? We are quite far away from the pond where the duck will be safe!" L
ongBeard stroked the duck and asked her what was wrong. "A snake spat at me," she said, "and its spit was toxic, so my body feels very lame. I got such a fright that I just crawled in under the bush to hide, but now I don't have the strength to come out again!" "Let us help you," said LongBeard. "If you like, we can take you home with us until you are better and then we can take you back to the pond.""Thank you so much," said the duck, "that would be wonderful." LongBeard picked her up and checked to see if she had any other injuries. He carefully stretched her wings one by one, and then her legs one by one. "How does it feel?" he asked the duck. "It feels good to stretch again," said the duck and I'm already feeling better knowing the two of you are here to help me." "Good," replied LongBeard. "Pippo, would you like to carry her?" he asked, seeing that Pippo was keen to help but didn't know how.
"Oh, yes please!" said Pippo and stretched out his arms. "Now hold her like this," said LongBeard, "just like the little boy in the story which I read to you last night. Put your one hand under her tummy to support her and to leave her legs free to move, one hand on her back to keep her stable and curl your arm in so that she is supported against your chest." Pippo took the duck and gently held her against his chest.
He smiled at her and stroked her back. "You are lovely," he said to the duck, "and soon you will be well again, happily swimming on the pond with your friends." "Thank you," said the duck and nuzzled his arm gently. Pippo's heart was filled with gratitude and delight as until now no-one knew that secretly he was terrified of ducks, having been pecked sharply by a duck in the past when he was still a little boy.
"Thank YOU," he said to the duck, "you have also helped me to overcome a silly fear which I have been harbouring unnecessarily for many years!"
He kissed her on her head and they walked back home.
Copyright © 2010 Susan Bellingan Fourie
Acknowledgement: Feathersite.com
hedgiesjoy.blogspot.com, praisephotography.com
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