The Duckling Who Was Afraid to Swim

Deep in the forest stood a great big oak tree.

On the oak tree was a little round door, and on the door hung a sign that said—

"Chestnut's Pharmacy."

Inside lived a little squirrel, and his name was Chestnut.

Chestnut wore round little glasses, and he always spoke nice and slow.

His pharmacy was full of jars—red ones, blue ones, yellow ones, green ones.

And inside every jar were candies, each one different from the rest.

One day, a tiny voice came from the door.

"Excuse me... is Chestnut here?"

Chestnut looked up and saw a little duckling standing in the doorway.

Her name was Quacky.

"Chestnut... I have a problem," Quacky said in a very small voice.

"I'm a duck, but... I'm afraid to swim."

"Every time I walk to the edge of the pond, my feet start to shake."

"Everyone says ducks are born to swim. But I'm just so scared."

Chestnut pushed up his round glasses.

"Hmm... let me think..."

He turned around and looked at the jars on the shelf.

"Aha! This jar right here!"

Chestnut climbed up his little ladder, reaching for a sky-blue jar.

The ladder wibbled and wobbled, wibbled and wobbled—

"Whoa-oh-oh-oh!"

CRASH!

Chestnut slipped and tumbled to the floor.

Sky-blue candies rolled everywhere.

Chestnut straightened his crooked glasses and brushed the candy dust off his fur.

"I-I'm fine. A pharmacist must stay calm."

Quacky couldn't help but giggle. "Pfft."

Chestnut picked up one candy and placed it gently on Quacky's wing.

"This is the Sky-Blue Bravery Candy."

"Once you eat it, the water won't seem so scary anymore."

Quacky looked at the candy. It was shiny and round, like a little drop of water.

Quacky walked to the edge of the pond.

She put the candy in her mouth.

It was sweet. It was cool.

Quacky looked at the water.

The wind blew by, and little ripples spread across the pond.

Maybe... it wasn't so scary after all?

Quacky dipped one foot, slowly, slowly, into the water.

The water felt cool.

Then she put in her other foot too.

Splish, splash.

"Huh... this is... kind of okay?"

Quacky let her whole body slide into the water.

She was floating!

The water held her up gently, like a great big hand.

"I'm... I'm swimming!"

Quacky flapped her wings, and the water splashed up high, high, high.

Quacky ran back to the pharmacy, dripping wet from head to toe, with the biggest smile ever.

"Chestnut! Your candy is amazing! I'm not afraid of the water anymore!"

Chestnut smiled and pushed up his glasses.

"Well, actually... that was just an ordinary candy."

"Huh? An ordinary candy?" Quacky tilted her head.

"Mm-hmm. Sweet and cool—but no magic inside."

Chestnut gently pointed at Quacky's chest, right where her heart was.

"The one who could swim... was always you, Quacky."

"You just needed a little bit of time, and a little bit of sweetness. That's all."

Quacky gave Chestnut a great big hug—so big it knocked his glasses crooked again.

"Thank you, Chestnut."

"I-I'm fine. A pharmacist must stay calm."

But Chestnut's cheeks turned pink.

Quacky skipped off happily.

Chestnut watched her go, and pushed his crooked glasses back up.

Then he turned around and put the sky-blue jar back on the shelf.

Who will come knocking tomorrow, I wonder?