Long ago, in a farmyard many miles away, a Mother Duck sat on her nest. She was waiting for her eggs to hatch. Each day she proudly looked at them. There were six eggs, which meant six little ducklings to teach to swim.
One sunny spring morning, the first egg began to crack..
'Tap, tap, tap,' went the duckling inside, trying to get out. Mother Duck watched as the egg cracked open and out popped a fluffy duckling.
"One," said Mother Duck proudly.
The next day, the second egg hatched and out popped another fluffy duckling.
"Two," said Mother Duck proudly.
On the third day, duckling number three hatched.
"That leaves just three," said Mother Duck.
On the fourth and fifth day, ducklings number four and five hatched.
"That leaves just one," said Mother Duck, as she settled on her nest. Her ducklings gathered around her.
But on the sixth day nothing happened. Nor on the seventh.
"How strange," said Mother Duck on the seventh day. "It should have hatched by now."
One of the farmya
