The Ugly Duckling

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Steven Lara/2,21,02/Period 4

The Ugly Duckling

Once long ago, in a land far away an ugly duckling found a poor abandoned baby fairy. She took the baby fairy in and nurtured it, taught it many things and gave it lots of love. But the baby fairy was an evil baby fairy. She would often have dreams of killing the ugly duckling, and stealing his nest egg. She was also jealous and possessive and screamed like a tyrant until the ugly duckling, wanting everyone to be happy, would give in to her. You see, the ugly duckling was very weak, mentally. She would always do anything and everything in her power to avoid confrontation and conflict. Conflict was something that the ugly duckling was always willing to avoid at any cost. The more the duckling gave in, the further the evil baby pushed.

This went on for many days and months. Soon, the months evolved into years. The ugly duckling soon forgot what life was like before the baby fairy had come along. Before the evil fairy came into the ugly duckling’s life, everything seemed to be better. Happier. The ugly duckling could often remember times when she frolicked in the orange groves and picked berries in the forest. But all that was once good in the ugly duckling’s life had now vanished. She succumbed to the evil ways of the baby fairy but counted herself lucky that at least she was not alone. At times the ugly duckling would have nightmares about the evil fairy sneaking up on her at night and then killing her by means of strangulation. Somehow deep inside her, the ugly duckling knew it was all wrong, but felt she was to blame, so she suffered the indignities in silence. She told no one. Perhaps she even felt that the evil baby was the best she could do. She didn't want to be alone. The ugly duckling felt that if she were to ever be alone, that she would simply die of pure and utter lonliness.

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Then one day a beautiful fairy princess came and opened the eyes of the ugly duckling. She was just the opposite of the evil fairy. She pointed out how gradually the ugly duckling had allowed the evil baby fairy to enslave her. She was a prisoner in her own home. No friends, no one to talk to, nowhere to go. Her whole life revolved around the evil fairy and the ugly duckling would constantly wait on her nonstop day and night, catering to her every desire. The evil baby censored everything she did. But the evil baby fairy flew into other kingdoms as she pleased, denying her rescuer the same freedoms. The beautiful fairy princess pointed out that the ugly duckling had a very spoiled evil baby fairy on her hands. It was then that the ugly duckling finally realized that something had to be done about this awful mess. But what could the ugly duckling possibly do? For so long the ugly duckling had allowed the evil baby fairy to take advantage of her. Getting rid of the evil baby fairy would be no easy task, as all of this had been going on for quite some time. There was also the possibility that the evil baby fairy would fight back and maybe evil try to murder the ugly duckling. The ugly duckling could not allow that to happen. For if the ugly duckling were to die, then the ugly duckling would no longer ever be able to be happy and frolic in the orange groves and pick berries in the forest. This would take some time.

The duckling thought on the princess's words for many days. She became very discontented, outraged by the behavior of the baby fairy. Finally, she broke free of the evil baby's spell. Only to fall under the spell of the beautiful fairy princess, who bewitched the duckling with her sparkling green eyes. The fairy princess made the ugly duckling believe she was something she was not, an elegant swan queen. In reality, the fairy princess was an ugly troll that lived under a bridge and ate little children.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months as the fairy princess took the ugly duckling higher and higher. Soon the duckling was totally captivated and only had eyes for the fairy princess. The princess had convinced her that she was indeed a swan queen. She felt beautiful, adored and very happy. In fact, the fairy princess told the ugly duckling that she adored her, along with many other pretty words that took her to the highest heights.

Then something changed. Not all at once, gradually, the fairy princess turned her magical green eyes away from the ugly duckling. Less and less did the duckling feel the comfort of her warmth. All the while the fairy princess mouthed that nothing had changed. But the duckling felt deep in her heart that everything had changed and she had fallen out of favor with the beautiful fairy princess. Where once her world held rainbows, all was now bleak and cold. She felt ashamed to be alive.

By her indifference, the beautiful fairy princess plunged the poor ugly duckling into the deepest depths. No more illusions and fantasies of being a snow queen. For the ugly duckling never could fly. Her wings were clipped long ago by the evil baby fairy. Mournfully, the ugly duckling wished that the fairy princess had never shown her those exhilerating highs, had never shared paradise with her. Because now, having seen paradise with the fairy princess and being cast out was too much to bear.

The ugly duckling never really died. But one could say that the ugly duckling did die mentally. Torn apart by both the evil baby fairy and the fairy princess, the ugly duckling eventually lost her sanity. She just faded away and no one ever noticed. Least of all, the beautiful fairy princess with the bewitching green eyes.