Under the golden sun, a mother duck sat on her nest beside the pond.

She watched as one by one, her eggs began to crack and five ducklings wiggled out.

Four ducklings were fluffy and yellow, but the fifth was big, gray, and awkward.

'Quack!' said the mother. 'You're not like the others!' The large duckling felt sad.

The big gray duckling left the pond and found a pigsty with little piglets playing.

'Excuse me, are you my mother?' the gray duckling asked the sow.

'No, little one, I'm not your mother,' said the sow, nuzzling her own.

Wandering again, the duckling met a fox and asked, 'Could I be yours?'

'No, but you could be my dinner,' smirked the fox, licking his lips.

The gray duckling fled in fear and wept alone, longing for love and care.

Then, a gentle voice called out. 'You're very beautiful. Come, join your real family.'

In awe, the gray duckling saw a group of elegant swans swimming towards it.

Among the swans, the gray duckling found love and realized it had always been a beautiful swan.