THE UGLY DUCKLING English theatre
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Prologue
(It is almost sunset. Mummy Duck appears, followed by Daddy Duck. There is a nest with two eggs on stage).
MUMMY DUCK Quack! Quack! Quack! Ohhh!! Look, Daddy Duck! Look what a beautiful sunset!
DADDY DUCK Quack! Quack! Quack! Not as beautiful as you, Mummy Duck! Quack! Quack! Quack! (He chases her and tickles her).
MUMMY DUCK Stop it! Stop it! Our babies, they are about to be born! Aren’t you happy?
DADDY DUCK Of course I am happy! Look at them! (They get closer to the eggs)
MUMMY DUCK They will be so smart! Quack!
DADDY DUCK They will be so cute! Quack!
MUMMY DUCK I am sure this one will be a boy! Quack!
DADDY DUCK And I am sure this one will be a girl! Quack!
MUMMY DUCK DADDY DUCK And we will be so happy!! Quack! Quack! Quack! (They hug)
MUMMY DUCK It is getting late.
DADDY DUCK Let’s go to sleep.
MUMMY DUCK DADDY DUCK Good night children! (They kiss their own eggs and they realize there is something between the two eggs)
MUMMY DUCK Wait a minute! What is that?
DADDY DUCK That’s another egg!
MUMMY DUCK But how is this possible? I am sure we only had two eggs.
DADDY DUCK This egg is not ours. It is bigger and strange, I will get rid of it.
MUMMY DUCK No! You can’t do that! It is late and cold, an animal might eat it.
DADDY DUCK All right. We’ll leave it here, and tomorrow morning we will see what we should do with it.
MUMMY DUCK Okay, my love. Quack!
DADDY DUCK Good night, my little girl! Quack! (He kisses the egg)
MUMMY DUCK Good night, my little boy! Quack! (She kisses the other egg and they leave. Shortly after that, Mummy Duck comes back and kisses the third egg)
MUMMY DUCK Good night to you too, little stranger! Quack!
DADDY DUCK Mummy Duck!! Quack!
MUMMY DUCK Coming! Quack! Quack! Quack! (Light slowly fades out while sounds of the night and crickets fade in).+-
Scene 1
(Next morning. The rooster crows. Light fades in. Song 1 starts. The eggs are beginning to hatch and the three baby birds dance.
BROTHER DUCKLING You are so weird! Can’t you say Quack?
UGLY DUCKLING That’s not true, I can… Honk!
SISTER DUCKLING No you can’t!! Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Yes I can… Honk!
BROTHER DUCKLING SISTER DUCKLING Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Hooooonk!!
BROTHER DUCKLING SISTER DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You can’t! You can’t! You can’t!
BROTHER DUCKLING You are so weird; your feathers are not yellow like ours.
SISTER DUCKLING They are not yellow; they are grey and white… You are not like us!
UGLY DUCKLING Yes I am!
BROTHER DUCKLING SISTER DUCKLING No, you’re not! No, you’re not!
UGLY DUCKLING Stop it! Yes I am!
BROTHER DUCKLING No! Your face is very strange!
SISTER DUCKLING And your colour is disgusting!
BROTHER DUCKLING You are not as strong as I am!
SISTER DUCKLING You are not as elegant as I am!
BROTHER DUCKLING And what a long neck!
SISTER DUCK! And those skinny legs!
BROTHER DUCKLING You smell funny!
SISTER DUCKLING And you are very ugly!
UGLY DUCKLING Stop it! I am not ugly!! You are so mean!!
SISTER DUCKLING Aaaaaahh! (She cries) She called me mean!!
BROTHER DUCKLING Oh, don’t cry! Hey you, ugly! Why are you bothering my sister?
UGLY DUCKLING I didn’t want to bother her; I just wanted her to stop calling me ugly!
SISTER DUCKLING I called you ugly because you are!
BROTHER DUCKLING Yes!! You are!! You are an ugly duckling!!
SISTER DUCKLING BROTHER DUCKLING You are an ugly duckling! You are an ugly duckling! You are an ugly duckling!
UGLY DUCKLING (crying) Aaaah! I am not ugly! Daddy! Mummy!!
SISTER DUCKLING You’re a tattletale!!
BROTHER DUCKLING And a cry-baby!!
SISTER DUCKLING Mummy and Daddy will never love you!
UGLY DUCKLING That’s not true!
BROTHER DUCKLING Because you don’t walk like us!
SISTER DUCKLING You are not as beautiful as we are!
BROTHER DUCKLING And you can’t say Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING (focusing and making an effort) mmmm… Hooooooonk!
BROTHER DUCKLING SISTER DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You are an ugly duckling! You are an ugly duckling! You are an ugly duckling!
UGLY DUCKLING Aaaaaaargh!!! (She kicks the nest and it falls)
BROTHER DUCKLING She broke the nest!
SISTER DUCKLING She is so mean!!
BROTHER DUCKLING Daddyyyy!!!!
SISTER DUCKLING Mummyyyyy!!!
BROTHER DUCKLING Our sister broke the nest!!
SISTER DUCKLING She has been bad!!
BROTHER DUCKLING We didn’t do anything!
SISTER DUCKLING Nothing at all!! (they leave with the nest)
UGLY DUCKLING You are so mean!! It’s not fair!! (she cries) I am an ugly duckling!! (she cries, focuses and try to say quack) Hooooonk!! (She cries desperately) I am an ugly duckling!! (she sits by the front stage).
Scene 2
(Mummy Duck and Daddy Duck enter)
DADDY DUCK What happened?
MUMMY DUCK Why are you crying, sweetheart?
UGLY DUCKLING I am an ugly duckling!!!
DADDY DUCK Oh, come on, don’t say such… (he sees her)
MUMMY DUCK You are not… (she sees her)
DADDY DUCK MUMMY DUCK Oh my!!
UGLY DUCKLING My brothers were right!! They said you wouldn’t love me because I am an ugly duckling!! (Mummy Duck and Daddy Duck look at each other, a little ashamed of their own first reaction. They sit on both sides of the duckling to comfort her)
MUMMY DUCK Oh come on! Do not listen to your brothers! They are just a little naughty!
DADDY DUCK They are not a little naughty! They are very naughty and I am going to scold them!
MUMMY DUCK They shouldn’t have said such things!
DADDY DUCK Of course not! I will scold them a lot!
UGLY DUCKLING Then you love me?
MUMMY DUCK Of course we love you!
DADDY DUCK You are our baby bird!
UGLY DUCKLING But you are very beautiful and I am very ugly!
MUMMY DUCK Oooh! That’s not true!
DADDY DUCK You are just… a little bit different…
UGLY DUCKLING I am different!! (she cries)
(Mummy Duck gives a scolding look at Daddy Duck for saying that)
MUMMY DUCK I assure you, you are just like us!
DADDY DUCK Just like us, just like us.
UGLY DUCKLING (looking at them untrusting) That’s not truuue!! You’re just saying that so I won’t cry!! (crying)
MUMMY DUCK Hey, look! Let me see… Oh, yes! When you are sad you cry, just like we do!
DADDY DUCK You have a big heart, just like us!
MUMMY DUCK You are nice, like us! (tickling her, the duckling laughs)
DADDY DUCK You laugh! Just like us!! (They all laugh)
MUMMY DUCK These are the most important things.
DADDY DUCK And in all these ways, you are just like us.
UGLY DUCKLING But my feathers are a different colour. And my neck is so long, and I am… I am…
MUMMY DUCK The colour of your feathers doesn’t matter.
DADDY DUCK We love you the way you are.
UGLY DUCKLING I love you too!!
(They all hug).
MUMMY DUCK (kissing her) Quack!
DADDY DUCK (kissing her) Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Hooooonk!
MUMMY DUCK DADDY DUCK Whaaat?
UGLY DUCKLING Hooooonk!
MUMMY DUCK Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Honk!
DADDY DUCK Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Honk! (she cries) Aaaaah! I can’t!! I will never be like you!!
MUMMY DUCK Oh, come on! Don’t cry! It doesn’t matter!
DADDY DUCK It is not so important to say quack!
UGLY DUCKLING But why can’t I say it?
MUMMY DUCK That’s because you are… you are very special!
DADDY DUCK You are so special and you will do many special things!
UGLY DUCKLING But what’s the point of being special if I can’t say… (focusing) Hoooonk!
MUMMY DUCK You are so special that someday you will impress the whole world!
DADDY DUCK You are so special that you will do anything you decide.
UGLY DUCKLING Really? What will I do?
(SONG 2 “All the things you can do.” It ends and the scene goes on)
UGLY DUCKLING Ooooh! That’s wonderful! And when will I do all these things?
MUMMY DUCK Oh! Very soon! We will begin with the swimming lessons. I will go and get your brothers ready. Baby birds!! Get ready to swim!!
(Mummy Duck leaves)
UGLY DUCKLING Swimming lessons? I will like it so much!!
DADDY DUCK Me too!
UGLY DUCKLING Do you think I will be good at swimming?
DADDY DUCK Of course you will!! Come on!!
UGLY DUCKLING Wait, daddy! What if…
DADDY DUCK What if what?
UGLY DUCKLING What if it goes wrong, like saying honk?
DADDY DUCK You mean Quack.
UGLY DUCKLING Yes, honk.
DADDY DUCK Quack.
UGLY DUCKLING Honk.
DADDY DUCK Quack.
UGLY DUCKLING Honk.
DADDY DUCK (desperately) Quaaaaaack.
UGLY DUCKLING (concentrating) Hooooooooonk.
DADDY DUCK (he sighs) Don’t worry, there is nothing you can do worse than that.
(They laugh).
DADDY DUCK Don’t be late!
UGLY DUCKLING I am coming!
Scene 3
(With a mysterious music, a Cat enters, walking slowly, licking her paws, and looking bored. Suddenly some birds appear… The cat tries to catch them three times… finally, the birds fly).
CAT Meeeeoooow! It is so boring to be a pet cat! They feed me all the time, they pamper me, they hug me…. But all I want is to hunt. I would love to hunt a mouse, or a bird… Ooooh!! Baby birds!!! Shush!!
(She hides and there come Ugly Duckling and Brother Duckling, wearing goggles and floats. They are arguing)
BROTHER DUCKLING Give me the float! Ugly Duckling! It is mine! Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING That’s not true, it is mine! And I am not an ugly duckling! Honk!
BROTHER DUCKLING Yes you are! You are an ugly duckling, Quack! You are an ugly duckling, Quack!…
MUMMY DUCK (off) Baby birds! Behave! Quack!
(The ducklings leave and the Cat comes back)
CAT Meeeoooow! So, an ugly duckling… It would be so nice to catch one of those ducklings. But their parents are too close. Shush! (The ducklings come back)
BROTHER DUCKLING Give it to me, Ugly Duckling! Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING No! And don’t call me Ugly Duckling!
BROTHER DUCKLING You are an ugly duckling and nobody will love you!
UGLY DUCKLING That’s not true! Mummy and Daddy do love me!
BROTHER DUCKLING That’s not true; Mummy and Daddy will never love you! Do you know why? Because you are an ugly duckling, you are an ugly duckling! You are an ugly duckling!!
(Brother Duckling leaves and Ugly Duckling sits on the ground)
UGLY DUCKLING That is not truuue!! (crying)
CAT Meeeoooow! Why are you crying, duckling?
UGLY DUCKLING Because he called me Ugly Duckling!! (crying)
CAT Oh! That is so impolite!
UGLY DUCKLING Isn’t it?
CAT Of course! Meeooow! Not everybody knows how to be sweet and nice like a little cat.
(As she says this, she rubs against the Ugly Duckling, purring)
UGLY DUCKLING A cat… you really are very sweet and beautiful!
CAT I know. Meeeooow. Come on, get on my back, we will go for a walk and soon you will stop crying.
UGLY DUCKLING But I have swimming lessons!
CAT That is much more fun, and I am veeeery loving, not like that mean duckling. Come on, come with me, meeoow!
UGLY DUCKLING Hey, you are tickling me, honk.
CAT Meeeeooow! Climb on my back! I promise we won’t go far!
UGLY DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha! You are so sweet! Let’s go, but we must be back soon, all right?
CAT Of course, meeow! (with a music of transition, they cross the stage from side to side some times, and then they arrive at a forest)
UGLY DUCKLING I am a little tired! I think I fell asleep on your back! We are far away from the lake.
CAT No, don’t worry, we are very close. Let’s rest, if you want.
UGLY DUCKLING Oh yes!
CAT Tell me, who was that mean baby bird who called you Ugly Duckling?
UGLY DUCKLING He is my brother. He always calls me names.
CAT Your brother?? Meow! But he doesn’t look like you at all! His feathers are yellow…
UGLY DUCKLING Yes, and my feathers are grey and white, and my neck is longer… But that’s fine, my parents told me that’s not important.
CAT Well, that depends on your point of view… if that is not important, why did they call you ugly duckling?
UGLY DUCKLING My brothers are naughty, but my parents say that…
CAT Meeeoow! I think your parents are lying to you. It is obvious you are not like them. I bet you can’t even say Quack!
UGLY DUCKLING Hmmm… Honk!
CAT Probably you can’t even swim.
UGLY DUCKLING I was about to begin my swimming lesson right now!
CAT Aaaw, poor foolish duckling! If you can’t say quack, you surely can’t swim… water is terrible, you know?
UGLY DUCKLING Water is terrible?
CAT Yeees! Meow! And very dangerous! You could drown if you are not a very good swimmer.
UGLY DUCKLING Can you swim?
CAT Bffffff!! Oh no! I have never been in the water! I could drown!! And you know what? I think you would drown too!!
UGLY DUCKLING I don’t think so! My parents will teach me.
CAT Your parents don’t love you.
UGLY DUCKLING What?
CAT Oh, don’t be angry with this sweet pussycat… I only want the best for you. And I think your parents lied to you because you are not like them.
UGLY DUCKLING Why would they lie to me?
CAT Maybe they are ashamed of you being so different.
UGLY DUCKLING But that can’t be true.
CAT Poor duckling. It is clear that they don’t love you.
UGLY DUCKLING No…
CAT They want you to drown in the lake. Why would they want you to swim otherwise, knowing that you can’t?
UGLY DUCKLING I can swim, well, I think so, I haven’t tried yet, but…
CAT How could you possibly swim if you can’t even say quack?
UGLY DUCKLING Yes I can, hoooonk!
CAT Ffffffff! Ugly Duckling…
UGLY DUCKLING I don’t think you are a sweet cat, I think you are very mean; I am going back to my lake, and…
CAT Fffffff! Clumsy Ugly Duckling… The faster you run, the more fun it will be to catch you.
UGLY DUCKLING No! Leave me alone!
(The Cat walks around her, trying to hunt her).
Scene 4
(A Dog appears. There is a fight-dance, and finally the Cat runs away).
DOG Woof! Go away! Woof!! Look at my teeth! Woof! Bad cat! Go away! Woof! Grrr! Woof!
UGLY DUCKLING Stop it!
(The Dog stops and stands still).
UGLY DUCKLING Er..? (surprised) What are you doing?
DOG You told me to stop it.
UGLY DUCKLING But don’t just stand there, come here!
(The Dog hurries to join her)
UGLY DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha! You are very funny!
DOG Yes! Funny, funny! (He rushes over to her, kissing her very happily)
UGLY DUCKLING What are you doing? Stop it!
DOG (Sopping suddenly) Yes, stop it, stop it.
UGLY DUCKLING Will you do whatever I say?
DOG Of course! I am very well-mannered… Ask me something! Ask me! Ask me! (very nervous)
UGLY DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha! What are you doing?
DOG The paw! Ask me to give you my paw!
UGLY DUCKLING Stop it!!
DOG Please… please…! (whining)
UGLY DUCKLING Give me your paw!
(The Dog gives her his paw)
UGLY DUCKLING The other paw!
(She gives him some orders and the Dog does them)
DOG Throw a stick! Throw a stick! Please! Please! Please!
UGLY DUCKLING A stick? All right! (She throws a stick and the dog brings it back several times).
UGLY DUCKLING Oof! I am very tired. I need to sit down.
DOG Sit! (he sits down)
UGLY DUCKLING What are you doing?
DOG I’m sitting down! You told me to sit down.
UGLY DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha! You are so funny! Thank you for saving me from that mean cat!
DOG Mean cat! Mean cat! Woof! Woof!
UGLY DUCKLING Where are you going? Come back!
DOG I’m coming! (He sniffs at the duckling)
UGLY DUCKLING Ha, ha, ha, ha! What are you doing?
DOG I’m sniffing you! I want to know what you are.
UGLY DUCKLING I am a duckling.
DOG A duckling? That’s funny, I’ve never smelled a duckling like you.
UGLY DUCKLING That’s because I am an ugly duckling.
DOG Ugly? I don’t think you are ugly…
UGLY DUCKLING Well, maybe I am just… different.
DOG Different? Different from who?
UGLY DUCKLING My family.
DOG Family… (he becomes sad) Do you have a family?
UGLY DUCKLING Yes, I have a daddy and a mummy, and two very naughty brothers, but I can’t find them. That mean cat took me away from the lake and now I don’t know how to get back. Don’t you have a family?
DOG I had one. I had a master, you know? A human. He was so kind to me; he always played with me and threw a stick for me. But I lost him too! (He becomes sad)
UGLY DUCKLING Don’t be sad… How could a human be your family if you are a dog?
DOG Family is whoever loves you and gives you the warmth of a home. It doesn’t matter how different you are from your family. Love is what really matters.
UGLY DUCKLING You are right! I am very different from my parents, and my brothers! But they are my family! Awww! I would love to find my mummy!
DOG Why don’t you follow their trail?
UGLY DUCKLING Their trail?
DOG Of course! All you need to do is to remember your mummy’s scent and smell the ground. When you find the trail, you follow it.
UGLY DUCKLING Can you remember your master’s scent?
DOG Of course! I am a dog! My master smelled like wood just chopped, meat pie, clean sheets, slippers… (he becomes sad)
UGLY DUCKLING Why don’t you follow his trail?
DOG Because my master was a very old man and he went to a place where it is impossible to follow his trail.
UGLY DUCKLING Come on… don’t be sad. You know what? We will go find my family and we will find a new family for you.
DOG Yes!! And if that mean cat comes back, I will teach him what happens to those who mess with my friends!
UGLY DUCKLING Friends?
DOG Of course! Friends! What’s the matter?
UGLY DUCKLING It’s only that… you are my first friend!
DOG Really! Hurray!!!
(SONG 3 Friendship. Duckling and Dog sing what being friends means. Friendship is playing at throwing a stick, friendship is crying and laughing, hugging and dreaming, friendship is helping each other finally find a family. They sing as they go along. At the end of the song, they arrive at a farm. Winter is upon them. It is cold and the duckling is shivering).
Scene 5
UGLY DUCKLING Brrrr… It is so cold, I am very tired, and so hungry.
DOG I am hungry too! Wait! It smells like wood, recently chopped wood (he smells) a warm fireplace, hmmm, slippers! And a blanket… hmmm! Meat pie!! Come on! Come on! It smells good! It smells good!
UGLY DUCKLING Easy! Easy!
DOG Don’t you understand? It smells like a home!!
UGLY DUCKLING A home? What is a home?
DOG A home means family!
UGLY DUCKLING Family? I don’t understand…
DOG Yes!! (very excited) Family and slippers… hmmm wood… Meat piiie!! Woof! Woof!
GRANDMA What is all that fuss?
(The Dog sits on the ground as he asks for food. The Duckling imitates him without knowing exactly why).
UGLY DUCKLING Why are you sitting? No one told you to sit…
DOG Shush! Do what I do…
UGLY DUCKLING And what are you doing?
DOG Trying to look like the best dog in the world. Shush!
(Grandma comes out. She looks at them, surprised and affectionate).
GRANDMA What have we here? A beautiful dog… (she pets him) and a baby bird… What are you doing out here in the cold?
DOG Woof!
UGLY DUCKLING Honk!
GRANDMA So you are looking for a warm place to spend the winter, aren’t you?
DOG Woof! (whining)
UGLY DUCKLING Honk!
GRANDMA I see… all right! You can stay with Grandma, clever dog! And so can you, baby bird.
(Dog explodes with joy and goes running to pick up a stick, which he takes to Grandma).
GRANDMA Hmmm… A stick? We will have plenty of time to play, but first I will give you a nice piece of meat pie… come on… welcome to your new home!
(Dog runs to the house very excited, followed by grandma. Duckling stays outside, melancholic)
UGLY DUCKLING Home… What a strange word! Home means family, but my family is not here. As long as I stay here, I won’t be able to find my mummy. But it is so cold outside!
GRANDMA Come on, baby bird… come in or you’ll freeze!
UGLY DUCKLING Honk! I will find you, mummy! As soon as winter is gone!
Scene 6
(Dog and Mummy Duck)
DOG Woof! It is springtime already!! It is springtime!! We can go out and play! We can go to the river! We can sniff around! Hmmm, what is that smell? Hmmm! Meat pie! I love springtime!!
MUMMY DUCK Quack!
DOG Hum! Wait a minute! What was that?
MUMMY DUCK Quack!
DOG Quack? (he sniffs) What is that smell? (chasing game between Dog and Mummy Duck)
MUMMY DUCK Don’t hurt me! Please! Don’t hurt me!
DOG Hurt you? Me? Don’t you hurt me!!
MUMMY DUCK I can’t hurt you… you are very big!
DOG Big? Do you mean I am fat? Maybe I have gained a few pounds… Grandma’s meat pie is so good!! What do you smell like? You look funny… (chasing game smelling)
MUMMY DUCK Oh, stop it!
DOG Woof! (He stops)
MUMMY DUCK Oh! You are so funny!
DOG Yes! I am a good dog! Scratch me! Come on! Do you want to be my friend? Do you want to be my friend? Do you want to play?
MUMMY DUCK Oh, I would love to play with you, but I am too sad.
DOG Sad? Why?
MUMMY DUCK I am looking for my duckling; she left home some time ago. And I am afraid that something bad has happened to her…
DOG I know a duckling. She is very different from you, but we are good friends anyway.
MUMMY DUCK Very different? How different? Quack!
DOG Well, first of all she can’t say quack!
MUMMY DUCK Oh my! That could be my lost duckling!!
DOG I don’t know! Let’s check it! Duckling! Duckling! Can you come out?
UGLY DUCKLING I am coming! Honk!
MUMMY DUCK Oh my!
(Duckling appears turned into a beautiful swan)
UGLY DUCKLING Mummy?
MUMMY DUCKLING It can’t be! Is it you?
UGLY DUCKLING Mummy!!
DOG Oh! I am so moved!
MUMMY DUCK You have grown up so much! And you are so beautiful!
UGLY DUCKLING I never wanted to leave, a bad cat tricked me and then winter came, I wanted to go back home, but I didn’t know how… I missed you so much!
MUMMY DUCK Don’t worry! What matters is that you are fine and now we can go back home.
DOG Yes!! Yes!! Back home! We have meat pie! Come on! Woof! Come on!
UGLY DUCKLING Wait a minute, mummy. Come!
DOG I’m coming!
UGLY DUCKLING You are a good dog!
DOG Yes! A good dog, let’s go home, duckling! Meat pie, come on!
UGLY DUCKLING I have to go.
DOG All right, slipper, stick… meat pie… You have to go? Where?
UGLY DUCKLING To find my family. Winter is gone.
DOG Aren’t you happy here? With me? With Grandma… with meat pies? Mmm…
UGLY DUCKLING Yes, of course I am happy, but…
DOG But?
UGLY DUCKLING I must go back to the lake and learn to swim. I must go back to my… home.
DOG To swim? Why? What for? This is our home!
UGLY DUCKLING Do you remember what you told me about following a trail?
DOG Yes.
UGLY DUCKLING I finally remember the scent of my home. My home smells like the water of the lake, the flowers of the shore, my mummy, my daddy, even my naughty brother and sister.
DOG I see.
UGLY DUCKLING I must go. Do you understand?
DOG But we’ll always be friends.
UGLY DUCKLING Of course.
(Slower reprise of song FRIENDSHIP -only phrases- the Dog sniffs at the Duckling)
UGLY DUCKLING What are you doing?
DOG I’m memorising your scent so I can find you again.
UGLY DUCKLING I’ll remember your scent too, the scent of friendship.
MUMMY DUCK Thank you for taking care of my child. You are a good dog. Goodbye!
DOG Goodbye, friend.
UGLY DUCKLING Goodbye, friend. (Duckling and Mummy Duck leave slowly, while Dog waves sadly with the music, until the light fades out).
Scene 7
(They arrive at the lake. Mummy Duck and Ugly Duckling. Later, Swan.)
MUMMY DUCK Here we are! The lake! It is time to learn to swim. But first I will go find your daddy and your brother and sister.
UGLY DUCKLING Wait.
MUMMY DUCK What’s the matter?
UGLY DUCKLING It’s just that… I am afraid.
MUMMY DUCK Why, sweetheart?
UGLY DUCKLING What if they don’t love me? Look at me, I have changed so much, I don’t look like you at all. What if my brother and sister don’t love me? I am just an ugly duckling!
MUMMY DUCK You are not an ugly duckling. You are beautiful!
UGLY DUCKLING But why am I so different?
MUMMY DUCK Well… maybe you are not exactly a duckling.
UGLY DUCKLING What do you mean?
MUMMY DUCK You see, your daddy and I found a lost egg in our nest. We knew you would be Different, but we also knew we would love you like one of our own.
UGLY DUCKLING You mean I am not one of you.
MUMMY DUCK Of course you are! We are a family and we’ll always be together. Do you understand?
UGLY DUCKLING I do. But if I am not a duckling…. Then what am I?
(Swan enters humming)
MUMMY DUCK I am not sure, but I think you will find out very soon. Look!
UGLY DUCKLING Ooh! (surprised when she sees the swan) Mummy! Who is that?
MUMMY DUCK Go talk to him!
UGLY DUCKLING No! I…
(Duckling and Swan meet in the centre of the stage, light changes, a romantic music starts. They see each other and they both get very nervous. Mummy Duck discretely steps aside).
UGLY DUCKLING Hooooonk! Oops!
SWAN Honk!
UGLY DUCKLING Excuse me?
SWAN Honk! I mean, who are you?
UGLY DUCKLING I am… I am just an ugly duckling!
SWAN Don’t make fun of me! You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!
UGLY DUCKLING Who are you?
SWAN I am just a common swan.
UGLY DUCKLING A swan?
SWAN Honk!
UGLY DUCKLING Honk!
SWAN Do you want to swim with me?
UGLY DUCKLING I… I can’t… I can’t swim…
SWAN Of course you can! You are a swan!
UGLY DUCKLING A swan…
(Song Swan-Duckling)
UGLY DUCKLING I can swim.
SWAN And fly. Anything you decide.
UGLY DUCKLING I am so happy!
SWAN Let’s fly together. Let’s find a new place, a home to make a family.
UGLY DUCKLING I would love to, but I can’t.
SWAN Why not?
UGLY DUCKLING I have finally found my family, so I guess this is my home.
MUMMY DUCK Oh, come on (moved). You must leave!
UGLY DUCKLING Mummy!
MUMMY DUCK You have grown up, look at yourself! You are a beautiful swan! And you have found love. If your heart tells you to leave, you must do so.
UGLY DUCKLING But what about you, daddy, my brother and sister…?
MUMMY DUCK We are a family. And we will be your family come what may. This will always be your home. (To the other swan) And from now on, yours too.
SWAN What do you say? Are you coming with me?
UGLY DUCKLING All right. But wait a minute.
MUMMY DUCK What are you doing?
UGLY DUCKLING I just want to remember the smell of my home. In case I want to come back some day.
MUMMY DUCK I love you, my baby bird.
UGLY DUCKLING I love you too, mummy! I will be back soon! Goodbye!
MUMMY DUCK Goodbye.
SWAN Oh, come on! Don’t say goodbye! Say ‘see you later’!
(Final song- See you later)
THE END