Nana Duck

Nana duck was very old but a favorite of many chicks. the chicks loved her because she liked telling them nice stories. but that was not enough, she would give them honey to lick and nuts to munch throughout the story telling time. every evening, they could set off for Nana ducks' house. they would swing their tails from side to side and their beaks could cluck all the way. they knew how to keep it cluck! cluck! cluck! cluck!

When they went to Nana duck one evening, she decided to play a trick on them. she wanted to know the motive which always drove the chicks to her house every evening. she was convinced that some were more interested in her honey and nuts more than the stories she always told the,m. a trick would do on this day to prove her suspicions right or wrong.

The chicks knocked her door as usual singing the favourite songs she had taught them.
 'Nana duck Nana duck, give us some honey today'
 'Oh! Nana duck has no honey today!'
 'Nana duck Nana duck give us some nuts today'
 'Oh! Nana duck has no nuts today!'
 'Nana duck Nana duck, tell us some stories today'
 'Oh! Nana duck has stories for chicks everyday!.'

When Nana duck told them that she had no nuts or honey for the day, most of the chicks got very disappointed. they were used to hearing ' Here are some honey and nuts my lovely little chicks.' when she invited them in, only a few got into the house. some went away in protest because they felt  they could listen to no stories without honey and nuts. in fact, they never cared about the stories. they loved the nuts and honey more.

those who did not mind about nuts and honey went inside and sat in front of Nana duck. she was so pleased with them that she said,
 ' You are very wise chicks. it is never a good idea to value rewards more than wisdom. Luck only knocks once on every mans door. The stories I tell you everyday are a bunch of the wisdom that I have learnt during my years of stay in this world. You may never know what you are going to lose if you pay no attention to wise people and only look for gifts. look here, see all the honey and nuts that I had!'

She uncovered the snacks which she had covered up in a tray beside her. on top of the usual nuts and honey, they also had packets f sweets and fruits. she also bought very beautiful cloths and toys for the chicks. the chicks got very impressed and were so thrilled at the gifts they got from Nana duck that night.

' I will tell you no stories today. the lesson you have got from that trick is enough. now I want you all to eat as much as you wish. make choices of the cloths too and get dressed up because I have a huge better surprise ahead.'

As the little beautiful chicks sprung to their feet munching this and that to go and change, Nana duck hummed sweeet old tunes for them. the chicks were so happy and kept praising Nana duck for her delicious snacks. they were soon all dressed up and ready for the surprise which Nana duck had in store for them.

'Wow! beautiful little chicks!' Nana explained as they emerged through the door in their new dresses. she told them to make a semi circle and then, getting in front of them announced that they were going to have a dance! The chicks could not believe it. They got so excited and as soon as Nana duck started humming her sweet tunes, the little chicks wagged theit tails in rhythm to her sweet voice.

At the beginning, they tried their best to keep the noise minimal, excitement soon grew and they were so much carried away with the fun of the night that they soon got the tunes at the top of their voices waking up the villagers. the weet tunes prenetrated the tree foliages in the village and soon one by one, cluck! cluck! cluck! the vilagers started trickling into Nana ducks home. No one bothered about having been woken up from sleep, they just wanted to join in usnison with the sweet tunes and dance the night away.

Soon, Nana duck's home was so full and all the villagers were happy. the whole village got into one tempo, trees danced, grass danced, and even the moon on top of the sky swayed to the tunes from the duck village. The moon shone brighter than usual and produced a beautiful glow that made the dancing villagers to seem like angels in paradise.

Even the chicks who had left Nana ducks home came to her home to join in the dance. they first looked for Nana duck and apologised for their mistake earlier in the night. they could not stop blaming each other for having been the reason for leaving Nana duck's home. soon they were over with their pain and joined the rest in the dance.

All went home cluck! cluck! cluck! when the dance ended. the following day was a wonderful one as everyone was happy for the previous night's dance. they seemed to be in light spirits and went cluck! cluck! as they performed their daily chores.

Barely in the afternoon, alll the chicks in the village were in Nana ducks compound playing chearfully. their cluck! cluck! calls to each other filled the air as they waited for Nana duck to get back from home from wherever she had gone. Nana duck soon emerged from the gate carrying a huge bundle of firewood.



cluck! cluck! cluck! ran the young ducks to her. they asked her to put her bundle down and divided it between themselves and carried the wood to the house. Nana duck followed them behind in slow strides glad that the chicks were around to help her. cluck! cluck! cluck! she chuckled with the chicks as she gave them nuts and honey to lick.