DANIEL THE INVISIBLE DUCK

Once upon a time there lived a duck who wanted to be invisible.

Invisible you say? Many grown-up ducks have forgotten what it feels like to want to be invisible for a long time. But ducklings know very, very well how Daniel the duck felt when he wanted to disappear without really going away.

Before Daniel knew it Wishing Day came to the duck pond. Wishing Day was not a day like a birthday or Christmas or any other kind of day. This was a day that came only once in every three years and lasted for a week. After the week, that duck would be stuck with their wish forever if they didn't make another wish.

Daniel was excited when Wish Day finally came. He squished his eyes closed so tight that night he wished to be invisible that his beak curled in. And then faster than any duck alive could say "Holly molly" or "Mergatroy" too, Daniel was invisible!

He could do all sorts of things he couldn't do when he was visible.

He could play jokes on his brothers and sisters, like moving their toys or poking them with his wings or pulling on their beaks and never get caught.

He could even see the teachers' questions before the test the following week and then find the right answers before test day.

What else can Daniel do? Tell someone you trust what else Daniel can do when he is invisible.

But when Daniel was invisible, he found there were some things he missed dreadfully.

His mother and father couldn't talk to him when he was feeling down or give him a hug.

He couldn't play with his brothers or sisters or laugh with them at their jokes.

He couldn't even show his family or friends cool things he found like bugs or beetles or rocks or funny looking sticks.

Even though he knew the test questions already, he found he didn't feel good about himself like he did when he really studied and knew the right answers.

He was also surprised when he saw his family looking for him. He didn't think they would miss him when he was gone. After all, there were so many ducklings for his parents to care for he didn't think they would notice him missing. And he certainly didn't expect he would feel so bad as when he heard his name called.

What else did Daniel miss? Tell someone you trust what else Daniel missed when he was invisible.

Most of all, Daniel found that he was awfully lonely when he was invisible.

As the week drew to a close he decided he would change his wish before it was too late.

Concentrating really, really hard, so hard that his beak curled in, he made a wish that he could be visible. Cautiously opening one eye and then the other, he smiled at his reflection in the clear pond. He was visible again! He couldn't wait to get home.

Flying and flapping his wings and tripping over his duck feet when he got home, he gave his mother and father and sisters and brothers great big hugs. While his family was glad to see him again, Daniel the visible duck was happier than he had ever been before. He decided that being visible was much, much better than being invisible all the time.