The Ugly Duckling

I was at the library today and decided to browse the children's section. As I did, I came upon The Ugly Duckling by Christian Andersen, retold by Stephen Mitchell. I decided to check it out because it was the first book I read while learning to read in the first grade. As I was reading, devotions were popping into my head. So, I thought I'd share them.

The mother duck is having a conversation with an old duck who had come to pay her a visit. The mother duck's eggs have hatched...except one. The old duck says to the mother duck about it, "Let me look again. Yes, it's definitely a turkey egg. Take my advice - just leave it to fend for itself, and go teach your real children how to swim."

"Oh, I think I'll sit on it a little longer," the mother duck said. "I've been sitting here so long that a few more days won't matter."

The mother duck reminds me of God while the old duck reminds me of the world. When the rest of the world would rather abandon me to fend for myself, God remains by my side. I love that the egg that was to hatch might not have been hers, but the mother duck chose to remain with it, anyway. We are all God's real children.

Later on in the story, the mother duck and her chicks have come to a duck yard on a farm. All of the ducks and other animals notice the ugly duckling right away and begin to call him names and push him around.

"And look at that deformed duckling. What a horror! We won't put up with reatures like that." And one duck flew at him and bit him in the neck.

"Leave him alone!" said the mother. "He's not bothering anyone."

"True," said the duck who had bitten him, "but he's too big and ugly. We just don't want him around."

"Pretty children you have, my dear," said the old aristocratic duck. "All but that one. He's rather a dud, don't you think? I wish you could remake him."

"That's not possible, madam," said the mother duck. "He may not be pretty, but he has a very good heart. He's kind and considerate, and that's worth at least as much as good looks. And he can swim as well as the others, perhaps even better. And I have a feeling that he'll be better-looking as he grows up; maybe he'll even get to be a bit smaller. It's just that he stayed too long in his egg. That's why he's not quite the right shape." And she stroked his neck and smoothed his feathers. "Anyway," she said, "I'm sure he'll grow up strong and be able to manage quite well."

I love that his mother stood up for him and had confidence in him about his future. She had hope, but two pages later, that was lost.

"The duckling was attacked by everyone. Even his brothers and sisters were mean to him and said, "We hope the cat catches you, you ugly thing!" And his mother, no longer able to bear it, said, "I wish you were far, far away."

There is a verse in Psalm 27:10 that says, "Even though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will never forsake me." I'm reminded of this when I read that the ugly duckling's mother rejects him because she can't bear all of the abuse he is receiving.

When the old duck says, "I wish you could remake him." I am reminded of Psalm 139, where it says, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." God knit us together in our mother's womb. He made us the way we are for a reason. Who are we to question that and wish for a redo?

It's interesting, though, that it is only after he loses everything does he find who he really is. Sometimes, that's what it takes...losing everything only to find where we truly belong and who we really are.

I loved the end of the story. The ugly duckling has seen these three splendidly beautiful white birds and decides to join them for a moment, not caring if they despise him or bite him.

And he flew out onto the water and swam toward the magnificent creatures. When they saw him, they rushed to him with outstretched wings.

"It's all right," said the duckling. "You can bite me if you want. I don't mind," and he bent his head down to the water and waited for them. But what did he see in the clear water? It had to be his own reflection - there was no question about that. But why wasn't he seeing a clumsy, ugly, dark-gray bird reflected in the water? It was impossible, it was too good to be true, but what was reflected in the water was the image of one of those glorious birds! Could it be? He looked again, and the image was still in front of him, looking back at him from the water. It must be him. How incredible! How wonderful! How grateful he felt!

He was just like those gorgeous creatures swimming toward him. He was one of them. At last he belonged. He gave thanks for all the misery he had undergone, which made him all the more grateful for his happiness now....

We are constantly growing and going through things that make us more and more like Christ. We can't see the good that is going to come from our misery. But when we do get to the other side, we realize how those things have shaped us and how they have made us more grateful for where we are at that time, rather than where we were.

Interesting how a children's story can evoke such thoughts and reminders.