Rating: K<\/p>\n
Word Count=2177<\/p>\n
Summary:\u00a0<\/span>Two year old Hoss comes across some hatching ducklings. Will Pa let him keep his new friends?<\/span><\/p>\n Disclaimer: I don’t own the Cartwrights or Bonanza. No copyright infringement is intended. Original plot and characters are property of the author. This story is for entertainment and no money was made from it.<\/span><\/p>\n Reviews from the Old Library are on the last page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ducks in a Row<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTell me a stowy, Adam\u201d begged two year old Hoss. It was bed-time but the little boy didn\u2019t want to go to sleep yet. The one-room cabin he lived in with his brother and Papa felt warm and cozy with the fire banked.<\/span> <\/p>\n Reviewer: Cheaux Signed *<\/p>\n Reviewer: Snuffybear Anonymous *<\/p>\n Reviewer: mohegan Signed Author’s Response:<\/p>\n Awww–thank you, mohegan. I’m honored and thrilled to know you’d share this with the little guy. Even though I’m a middle child, I had plenty of “not fair” moments when my brothers got to do things that I didn’t.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Reviewer: jojay Anonymous Author’s Response:<\/p>\n Thank you, jojay. I’m thrilled to know you enjoyed this.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Reviewer: Anonymous Anonymous Author’s Response:<\/p>\n Thank you, Anonymous.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Adam snuggled closer to his little brother. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you one Mama used to tell me\u201d said Adam. He began the story of The Ugly Duckling. Reaching the end of the story, Adam said \u201cAnd then the ugly duckling became a beautiful swan. All of the other ducks in the pond couldn\u2019t believe how pretty he had become.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cDid he find a wady duck to have a famiwy wif?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/span>
\u201cI don\u2019t know. Mama never said\u201d responded Adam.<\/span>
\u201cHow come his mama didn\u2019t make de odder ducks stop makin\u2019 fun o\u2019 him?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/span>
\u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. Maybe the story didn\u2019t say.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cGo to sleep, boys\u201d said Ben drowsily.<\/span>
Hoss fell asleep wondering about that duckling.<\/span>
*
In the morning, Ben took the boys down to the lake for a wash and to clean their few items of clothing. While Ben washed shirts, Adam and Hoss decided to explore. Ben told them not to go too far, but there was so much exploring to do. Adam found a patch of blackberries to grab his attention. They were sweet, so he decided to pick a bunch for Pa to fix up.<\/span>
\u201cStay here, Hoss\u201d said Adam. \u201cI\u2019m gonna pick these berries as a surprise for Pa.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cOkay\u201d said Hoss.\u00a0<\/span>
The little boy grew bored watching Adam, so he decided to explore a little on his own. He wasn\u2019t going to go too far. He didn\u2019t want Adam to tell on him. Papa would spank him if he didn\u2019t do what Adam said.<\/span>
As he walked along the shoreline, Hoss heard a noise in the reeds up ahead. He looked back at the way he\u2019d come, but didn\u2019t see Adam. Curiosity finally got the better of him. He parted the reeds and saw some eggs and baby ducks. The baby ducks were kind of clumsy as they came out of their eggs. Hoss was surprised because they ate eggs for breakfast sometimes. He couldn\u2019t ever remember seeing a baby duck when Papa opened an egg.<\/span>
Reaching into the nest, Hoss picked up one of the ducklings. \u201cYou don\u2019t wook ugwy\u201d he said. He put that one back and picked up another. In all, there were eight ducklings in the nest. None of them looked ugly.<\/span>
Hoss was soon sitting in the reeds, playing with the ducklings. They felt soft and looked so funny as they tried to walk. A couple kept falling face first on their bills. Hoss just giggled as he played with them.<\/span>
\u201cHooosss!!\u201d Adam was yelling for him.<\/span>
\u201cBye-bye, duckies\u201d said Hoss as he got up from the reeds. He started walking back to where he had last seen Adam. The little boy had a moment of panic because Adam might tattle on him.<\/span>
\u201cThere you are\u201d said Adam as he emerged from some brambles. Hoss smiled really big to see his brother.<\/span>
\u201cWhy are those ducks followin\u2019 ya?\u201d asked Adam.<\/span>
Hoss turned around to see the baby ducks. He was surprised. Weren\u2019t baby ducks supposed to swim in the lake?<\/span>
\u201cI dunno\u201d said Hoss. \u201cI was pwayin\u2019 wif \u2018em. Do ya fink dere Mama is wookin\u2019 fer \u2018em?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
\u201cMaybe\u201d replied Adam. \u201cBut we\u2019d best get back to Pa before he comes lookin\u2019 for us.\u201d<\/span>
The two boys headed back to where Ben was finishing laundry. Adam was carrying his bandana, which was full of berries. He rubbed at some of the scratches he had gotten from reaching through the brambles. Little Hoss was absorbed in thought about baby ducks and mama ducks. He kept looking back to see the baby ducks following him.<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink dey knows dey is s\u2019posed to swim?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span>
\u201cProbably\u201d answered Adam.<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink one of dem could be de ugwy one Mama tole ya \u2018bout?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cProbably not.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink dey\u2019s gonna go home?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cI dunno.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink dere Mama is gonna yell fer \u2018em to come home?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cI dunno.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cWhere do ya fink dere papa is?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cI dunno.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink Papa will let me keep \u2018em?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cProbably not, Hoss. They\u2019re s\u2019posed to live in the lake.\u201d<\/span>
As the two boys approached, Ben looked up, glad to hear his boys\u2019 voices. His smile was quickly replaced with a look of surprise. Adam was carrying a wadded up bandana and holding Hoss\u2019 hand. Behind the boys were several ducklings, quacking as they followed the boys.<\/span>
\u201cWhy did you bring those ducks with you?\u201d asked Ben while looking at Adam.<\/span>
\u201cI was pickin\u2019 berries, Pa. Hoss found \u2018em.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cYou let your brother wander off without watching him?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cBut I was pickin\u2019 berries\u201d said Adam with a pout as he held the bandana out to his Pa.<\/span>
\u201cI finded dem, Papa. Kin I keep dem?\u201d Hoss\u2019 eyes sparkled with hope as he asked.<\/span>
\u201cThose ducks need their mother, Son\u201d replied Ben. \u201cYou can\u2019t expect a wild animal to live with us.\u201d<\/span>
Hoss started to cry as the ducklings waddled around his feet.<\/span>
Realizing how harsh he must have sounded, Ben got up and approached his youngest. Ben hugged the little boy to him and said \u201cWe\u2019ll find a way to get them back to their mother.\u201d<\/span>
Hoss smiled through his tears. \u201cYa mean it, Papa?\u201d he asked.<\/span>
Adam plopped himself down by the fire with a scowl. Pa would never have let him keep a bunch of baby ducks.<\/span>
Hoss and his charges came over to the fire to sit with Adam.<\/span>
\u201cWhy you wook angwy?\u201d asked Hoss.<\/span>
\u201cNothin\u2019\u201d said Adam in response.<\/span>
\u201cBoys, help me hang these shirts up to dry\u201d requested Ben. He had set up some sticks near the fire so the shirts could be draped over them while the heat from the fire dried them. Adam left the berries by the fire as he and Hoss went to get the shirts as Pa had asked.<\/span>
Coming back to the fire, Adam saw that several of the ducklings were pecking at the bandana full of berries. He had worked too hard and been scratched up too much for a bunch of ducks to eat those berries. Adam charged the fire, swinging the shirt, as he tried to shoo the ducks away.<\/span>
\u201cStop him, Papa!\u201d yelled Hoss.<\/span>
Ben turned around, seeing Adam waving the clean shirt at the ducklings to shoo them away. \u201cAdam!\u201d he yelled. \u201cLeave those ducks alone and hang that shirt up!!\u201d<\/span>
Hoss raced over to the fire with his shirt, tears rolling down his chubby face. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be okay baby ducks\u201d he said. The little boy tossed the shirt aside as the baby ducks waddled to him for comfort.<\/span>
Adam glared at his brother as he noticed the clean shirt lying on the ground. He couldn\u2019t believe that Pa was taking Hoss\u2019 side.<\/span>
\u201cTake Hoss\u2019 shirt back to the lake and wash it again\u201d Ben told his older son. Adam snatched the shirt up with a scowl and headed for the water. He never got to have pets at Hoss\u2019 age. It wasn\u2019t fair!<\/span>
Ben knelt down and hugged Hoss to him. \u201cThese babies need their mama\u201d he told the little boy as the ducklings quacked.<\/span>
\u201cBut we don\u2019t got no mama and we is okay\u201d said Hoss, looking into his father\u2019s eyes.<\/span>
Tenderly brushing a lock of hair out of his son\u2019s face, Ben replied softly \u201cYou two boys have me to love you and care for you. These ducklings need a duck mama and papa to help them grow up.\u201d<\/span>
Hoss looked around at the ducklings, which were almost finished with the berries that Adam had picked. \u201cBut what if dey don\u2019t got no duck mama or papa?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cWho\u2019s gonna take care of dem den?\u201d<\/span>
\u201cThe ducks can\u2019t live with us, Son\u201d Ben said. \u201cThey need to live with other ducks.\u201d Taking his son\u2019s hand, Ben led Hoss down to the water where Adam was sulking and slapping the shirt around in the water.<\/span>
Nudging Hoss, Ben said \u201cGo into the water a little ways, the ducklings will follow you.\u201d<\/span>
Hoss took a few steps into the lake and was surprised to see the ducklings swimming around his legs. The little boy smiled and clapped in delight. Adam even cracked a smile.<\/span>
Hearing quacking from above, the boys and their father looked up to see some ducks flying. The ducks descended to the lake and began to splash on entry. There was much quacking from the center of the lake as the ducks swam around and began to feed.<\/span>
\u201cWook duckies!\u201d Hoss exclaimed and pointed. \u201cDere\u2019s some duckies fer ya to pway wif.\u201d The ducklings continued to swim around Hoss\u2019 legs, quacking nervously.<\/span>
\u201cStand still, Hoss\u201d advised Ben. \u201cHere come some grown-up ducks.\u201d<\/span>
Two female ducks approached the ducklings. The females quacked at the ducklings as they swam near them. Their curiosity satisfied, they headed back to the safety of the flock. To Hoss\u2019 surprise, the ducklings followed the two grown-ups.<\/span>
Hoss was sad to see the ducklings leave, but he was happy that they had found other ducks to live with.<\/span>
\u201cDo ya fink one o\u2019 dem was de mama of dose babies?\u201d asked Hoss, looking up at his Papa.<\/span>
\u201cMaybe\u201d answered Ben with his hand on Hoss\u2019 shoulder. He gave his son a reassuring squeeze before turning his attention back to the laundry.<\/span>
Hoss walked over to Adam, who was finishing up his brother\u2019s shirt. \u201cI sowy\u201d said Hoss, pointing to the shirt.<\/span>
\u201cThat\u2019s okay, buddy\u201d said Adam as he took the shirt over the fire.<\/span>
There were still a few berries laying in the bandana. Adam was pleased that all his scratches hadn\u2019t been in vain.<\/span>
*
That evening, Adam was scratching a rash on his arms. Pa told him the bumps were caused by poison ivy. The boy\u2019s previously good mood had turned sour the more his arms itched.<\/span>
\u201cStop scratching, Adam\u201d Pa told him. \u201cYou\u2019ll only make it worse.\u201d<\/span>
\u201cIt itches bad\u201d replied Adam.<\/span>
\u201cI know, Son, but leave your arms alone. That way they\u2019ll heal up. Besides, it\u2019s time for you boys to go to sleep.\u201d<\/span>
Adam lay down on the blankets next to his little brother. \u201cTell me a story, Adam\u201d begged Hoss.<\/span>
Aggravated at the itchiness of his arms, Adam started telling the story of Hansel and Gretel. Hoss wasn\u2019t sure he liked this one.<\/span>
\u201cThat\u2019s enough, Adam\u201d Ben said with some exasperation. \u201cTell a nicer story.\u201d<\/span>
Adam began the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When he got to the part where the three bears come home, Adam thought this story might not have been such a good idea. What if Hoss found a bear cub? Pa surely wouldn\u2019t let the little boy keep one, would he?<\/span>
Adam realized it didn\u2019t matter. Hoss was sound asleep, soft snores escaping from the little boy\u2019s nose and mouth. No matter how much his brother annoyed him, Adam was glad he had Hoss. If it hadn\u2019t been for Mama, he wouldn\u2019t have these stories to share with his little brother. Adam gave his arms another scratch and snuggled into the blankets. He fell asleep, dreaming of Hoss bringing home all sorts of baby animals as pets.<\/span>
The End<\/span><\/p>\n
\nDate: 27 Jul 2013 01:04 am Title: Ducks in a Row
\nFun story! I liked Hoss’s POV and also that despite his initial petulance, Adam loved telling stories to his brother. I laughed at the thought of Hoss bringing home a bear cub!<\/p>\n
\nDate: 11 Nov 2012 08:12 pm Title: Ducks in a Row
\nWhat a sweet tale!<\/p>\n
\nDate: 19 Apr 2011 10:52 pm Title: Ducks in a Row
\nThis story is a good one to read to my grandson (if I can get him to sit and listen, that is.) Really liked the subject matter and the way Adam and Hoss interact despite the difference in their ages. Even the “I-was-never-allowed-to-do that” part rings true!<\/p>\n
\nDate: 23 Dec 2010 07:49 am Title: Ducks in a Row
\nWhat a wonderful mental picture! Too sweet!<\/p>\n
\nDate: 06 Jul 2010 09:17 pm Title: Ducks in a Row
\nGood!<\/p>\n