by Adelaide B. Shaw -
It was a lovely day in May when Mrs. Molly Duck became a mother. Molly's nest was in a quiet shaded area and was hidden by thick bushes and plants. She had sat on her eleven eggs for many days, keeping them warm and protected. She left them only for a short time each day to get food and water.
After three weeks of sitting, the shells of the eggs cracked open. One after the other the tiny ducklings emerged into the world. When they were all out, Molly counted them. There were eleven ducklings. All the eggs had hatched.
By the next day the yellow fuzz on the ducklings was dry and fluffy. It was time to set out for the pond across the road.
"Quack, quack," called Molly to her brood.
"Peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep, peep" answered the ducklings.
The ducklings waddled up and followed behind Molly in a long wobbly line--Daisy, Maisy, Timmy, Jimmy, Trixie, Dixie, Bonnie, Connie, Danny, Manny and Buster.
Plop, plop, plop went Molly's two big webbed feet across the grass, down off the curb and across the road. Plip, plip, plip went twenty-two small webbed feet right behind her.
Plop, plop, plop went Molly's big feet across a storm drain cover. Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash!
The ducklings followed Molly, but their feet were too small. One by one they fell through the holes in the drain cover. Molly continued waddling toward the pond.
"Quack, quack," she said. No ducklings answered her. "Quack, quack. Where are the ducklings?" she asked.
Molly returned to the road and the storm drain. From far below the street came the frightened peeps of her babies...
