The pond was a very happy place. The water was blue and clear. The sun was warm and yellow. In the middle of the pond, there lived a little duckling. The little duckling was very soft. The little duckling was very fuzzy. The little duckling had tiny orange feet that went pitter-patter on the soft green grass. Splish-splash went the little duckling into the cool water. It felt very good. The little duckling loved to swim and play all day long in the bright, happy sunshine.
One morning, the little duckling went for a swim with two friends. They were all very hungry. They looked for a snack. They looked under the big green lily pads. They looked near the tall brown reeds. Then, they found something wonderful. They found a big patch of sweet, green water-clover. The water-clover was crunchy and fresh. It was the best snack in the whole pond. All the ducklings wanted to eat the sweet green clover right away because it smelled like fresh rain and honey.
One friend was a bit bigger and a bit faster. This friend started to gather all the clover into one big pile. "This is for me!" the friend thought. The little duckling and the other friend watched. They felt a little bit sad. Their tummies were still empty. They wanted to taste the sweet, crunchy snack too. It did not feel right for one friend to have all the clover while the others had none. The little duckling looked at the big pile and then looked at the empty water where the clover used to be.
The little duckling spoke in a very soft, kind voice. "We are all hungry," the little duckling said. "It is good to share. When we share, everyone is happy." The bigger friend stopped and looked at the two friends. The bigger friend saw that the others were waiting patiently. The bigger friend realized that having everything was not as fun as eating with friends. It was time to be fair. Being fair means making sure everyone has what they need. It means making sure everyone is included in the treats.
So, the ducklings worked together. They used their little orange beaks to move the clover. They made three small piles. One pile was for the little duckling. One pile was for the first friend. One pile was for the bigger friend. Each pile was the same size. Each pile had the same number of crunchy leaves. Now, it was fair. Now, everyone had a snack. They all started to eat at the very same time. Crunch, crunch, crunch went their little beaks. It was the best snack ever because they were eating it together.
The ducklings felt very happy. Their tummies were full of sweet green clover. Their hearts were full of kindness. They knew that being fair was the best way to play. They spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in circles and chasing the tiny silver fish. They splashed and they laughed. The sun started to go down, painting the sky in colors of pink and orange. The water became very still and very quiet. The day was ending, and it was time for sleep.
The little duckling followed the friends back to the soft, grassy bank. The grass felt cool and damp under their feet. They found a cozy spot under a big, drooping willow tree. The leaves of the tree hung down like a soft green curtain. It was a safe and warm place to rest. The little duckling felt very sleepy. The moon came out, looking like a giant white pearl in the sky. The stars began to twinkle like tiny night-lights over the pond.
The ducklings snuggled close together in a fuzzy pile. They tucked their heads under their soft, yellow wings. They felt warm. They felt safe. They knew that tomorrow would be another fair and happy day at the pond. The little duckling closed its eyes and listened to the gentle sound of the water hitting the shore. Everything was just right. The pond was quiet. The world was at peace. Sleep came quickly, wrapping the little duckling in a blanket of sweet, happy dreams.
