The Duck With Cold Feet

By Kenneth Lapointe

“Waaahk! Waaaahk! Mommy! Daddy! I don’t want to go in that cold water! My feet will get cold!”

Basil’s parents had heard this same thing over and over since he was just a baby duckling. For some reason, no matter how much they told him that his feet wouldn’t get cold he just didn’t believe them.

Of course, Basil loved splashing around in the water in the summertime when it was nice and warm, even in the fall too until the cold weather came, but in the winter when the snow was as white as a Muscovy when the open water looked dark and freezing he just wouldn’t go in. I mean, there was even ice in the water! How cold is that!

“Look at all the other ducks. Splashing around in the water. They aren’t complaining are they?” his mother asked him. “Yes, but my feet are bare! I can`t go in that ice-cold water with bare feet!” replied Basil. “Yes but so are the others!” his mother quacked back. “And we don`t get cold feet, do we?”

“Mommy,” said Basil.  “All I know is, my feet will get so cold I`ll just die!”

So Basil had never swam with his friends or parents or any of his relatives when they were all out in big flocks in the water in the winter. No matter if it was a pond, a lake, or a river. He wouldn`t even stick his big toe in to try it.

“Well, what are we going to do with Basil?” his mom asked his dad.

“I don`t know,” replied Basil Sr. “But we need to do something soon or he`s going to lose touch with the flock and they`ll abandon him.”

Mrs Basil looked with worry at her husband. “I`m sure there`s something we can do. Let`s ask the Big Geese or the Big Swans. Surely they`ve come across this problem before.”

So they had a big confab with all the geese and swans in their neighbourhood.

And the very next morning Basil went swimming in the coldest water no person would ever want to go into. But Basil wasn`t worried. For on his feet were the most beautiful presents he could ever ask for—presents his parents had got him on advice from one big old Canada Goose. Basil`s feet were never cold from then on.

And if you ever see a duck with thick woollen tartan socks and old army boots on his feet, walking around in the winter you can bet it`s Basil. And even though his socks and shoes get mighty soaked of course paddling around out in the open water and standing in icy puddles, he still thinks his feet are warm all thanks to them.

And that’s all that matters.

- Total nr. of readings: 2,287 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.