The Ugly Duckling
The Ugly Duckling — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
Deep within the earth, where gemstone caverns echoed with the rush of unseen rivers, lived the Riverborn. Among them were three: Mother Cygnus, protector of the river's flow; Scoria, the trickster, who hoarded the cavern's glittering treasures; and lastly, little Aella, born unlike any other. Her heart yearned for a world beyond the glittering stone, a world whispered about in old cavern songs—a place of sun and sky, a place she felt inexplicably connected to despite the river's cold embrace.
Page 2
"She's a blight, Cygnus!" Scoria hissed, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "An albino—a curse on the river!" Mother Cygnus gently stroked Aella's downy head. "Every life has value, Scoria. She is Riverborn, just as we are." But whispers followed Aella through the caverns, cold as the river's current. She felt the sting of isolation, her white plumage a constant reminder of her difference.
Page 3
One day, exploring the deepest part of the caverns, Aella stumbled upon a hidden grotto. A single stone, warm and golden, pulsed with a light unlike any cavern crystal. "The Sunstone," a voice whispered. Startled, she looked around. An ancient Riverborn, his skin like weathered rock, emerged from the shadows. "Keep it secret, little one. It holds the memory of the world above."
Page 4
Scoria, suspicious of Aella's secret excursions, confronted her. "What do you hide, albino?" he snarled, his eyes glinting with greed. Aella hesitated, clutching the Sunstone hidden beneath her tunic. He offered her a glittering gem, bigger than her head. "Give me your secret, and I'll give you riches beyond imagining." The Sunstone felt warm against her chest.
Page 5
"No," Aella said, her voice trembling but firm. "This is not yours to take." Scoria lunged, ripping her tunic. The Sunstone tumbled to the ground, its golden light momentarily blinding him. He roared in fury, then stumbled back, clutching his eyes. The gem he had offered turned to worthless dust in his hands.
Page 6
Mother Cygnus arrived, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Scoria, your greed has poisoned the river," she said, her voice resonating with power. The ground trembled. A fissure opened, swallowing Scoria and the dust that was once a gem. "He forgot," Cygnus sighed, turning to Aella, "'The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil,' as the apostle Paul said. Scoria's ambition blinded him."
Page 7
Days turned into weeks, and Aella tended the Sunstone, learning its secrets. The ancient Riverborn told her the world above needed her light. But Mother Cygnus forbade her departure. "The surface is not for us, Aella. Our place is here, with the river." But the stone sang a different song, a song of warmth and open skies.
Page 8
Aella stood before her mother, the Sunstone glowing in her hands. "I must go, Mother. The world above calls to me." Mother Cygnus looked at her, her eyes filled with love and resignation. She placed a hand on Aella's head. "Then go, little one. But never forget the river that flows within you."
Page 9
Aella followed the light towards the crevice in the cavern ceiling. She pushed through, blinking as the sun streamed down. It was blinding, unfamiliar. Aella looked at her reflection in a pool of water. No longer a downy duckling, but a graceful swan, her white feathers gleaming in the sun.
Page 10
Aella spread her wings and soared, leaving the gemstone caverns behind. She carried the Sunstone's memory, the river's strength, and her own courage into the world. The light she once longed for now radiated from within. And though Scoria's greed had consumed him, Aella knew, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that," as Martin Luther King Jr. once said. Her difference was her strength.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Read Wonder Tales on your phone
Wonder Tales is available on Android. Get Wonder Tales on Google Play.