The Famous Quacker Family

Part 1

Once upon a time! Far away in a distant land there was a most beautiful mountain lake. Now this lake was nestled among high hills which backed up to great mountains and deep shadows hid the pleasant lake from many outside intruders. The ancient people who once lived nearby had named the lake "Lake Jewel" because it was so beautiful.

Now along this Jewel of a lake there lived a family of very fortunate Ducks, all because they lived in such a wonderful place. All the inhabitants of the forest and surrounding mountains called this family of Ducks the "Quackers!" So we too will call them the Quacker Family, Papa Quacker, Mama Quacker and their many little Quackers, 17 little Quackers in all. Because of the purity of the air and the abundance of sweet lake grass, bugs and fish in the high mountain lake the Quacker family had grown in numbers, actually twice that of any other Duck family which lived near the lake.

Of course, Mama and Papa had never thought to have such a large family, it surely must have been that mountain air, Mama would tell her friendly neighbors.

The story went; that it happened so fast, all the eggs just began to hatch at once. And with so many little baby Ducklings it was somewhat confusing in naming them as they hatched. So after the first few they just gave them numbers. Now the first to hatch was named First Born, the second one was called Second Hatch, the third became Number Three, then Four, Five, Six and so forth until they finally got to the last two which they named Next-to-last and then the last one was named finally, which were really number 17! But all in total there were seventeen brother and sister Quackers, one of the largest Duck families ever to be living in this area. No doubt, having that many Duck brothers and sisters to play with there was much to do.

For sure, they were never lonely and the words private and alone were not known in the Quacker family. They worked in groups, played in teams and when all together they quacked up a terrible storm that forced the neighbors to either go elsewhere or cover their ears.

It was amazing when the entire family got into the lake at once, all the other neighboring animals decided to name the Quackers the "Fleet," because they were just so many floating together. It was really a chore keeping this fleet together but Papa Quacker was very proud swimming at the head of his little fleet while Mama Quacker swam among her Ducklings and tried keeping them in order.

The Lake was still and peaceful most of the time but it could become rather tossed when the harsh winds blew down from the mountain slopes and all the little 17 Quacker Ducks were not allowed on the water at that time. In fact both Papa and Mama Quacker had to make up more than the usual rules for their family because it was so large. "No diving in shallow water, always give the right away to older Ducks, stay off logs that might roll, beware of Eagles in the day and hungry Owls in the evenings, never go off on your own and learn to count to 17!"

One of the most important rules was that the little ones were "Forbidden" to swim far out into the lake and especially towards the end of the lake where it narrowed between two rocky points. For this is where the lake emptied into the river which flows down into the great canyon and the currents are very strong there and this is very, very dangerous!

Papa Quacker would explain these important things to his flock in the evenings while sitting around the nest watching the camp fire burn low. Oh those little ones thought that there were so many things to learn, life was sure full of big ideas, and of course, as little Ducks think, they did not really think that all these rules were important for them! Papa Quacker sort of didn't like to have these family councils because he always knew that he had to answer at least 17 questions and this was very tiring for him.

Now the winter had come and gone, the spring fishing was just wonderful and the air was warming day by day. All the excitement of this first year on the lake was stirring among the Quacker family and of course, the 17 little brothers and sisters were constantly restless, always out on the water scattering, kicking, splashing, diving and swimming in fun patterns, in circles and in straight lines, it was just a great time for all of them. Both Mama Quacker and Papa Quacker had taken their small fleet out onto the lake many times since they had been hatched and showed them around, teaching them where to swim, where to fish and what to beware of. Now and then the seventeen little Quackers would be allowed to go forth on their own great adventures and swim along the shore searching the shallows for sweet sprouts, bugs and minnows. These little outings were always exciting and full of adventures, like the time the whole floating fleet of seventeen little Quackers were chased out of the lake by a mean old bull frog. It was the ugliest creature that they had ever seen and Mama Quacker had to brew up some peaceful reed tea for the whole group of them, just to calm them down and shut off their frightened quacking.

On that one occasion the entire lake shore was kept awake half the night by those frightened Quackers. But soon the little Duck fleet was back in the water, paddling and squawking everywhere.

There came a day when Papa Quacker had to attend a lake shore meeting with several new Duck families who were interested in settling in the area and Mama Quacker had to attend the nest and get caught up on her spring cleaning. Well the little Duck fleet was more than happy to have the day to themselves and soon said goodbye to their Mama, PROMISING to stay out of trouble and be home by high noon. So they all waddled off to the sandy shores and with excited quacking of every description, they splashed and dove into the clear waters of the lake.

In three kicks of a web foot, they were gone, through the reeds, around the rocks, diving for tiny fish, chasing each other into dead ends and playing hide and seek. The sun was warm and the waters lay still, with no breeze touching them, it was just one of the most carefree days for fun and adventure that could ever be.

The day wore on and on, they paddled here, there, everywhere and soon found new things to explore. Great logs lay piled and stuck together on rocks that jutted up sharply, and rippling waters beckoned the little fleet around the rocks and into new never before explored areas. This was great fun; they quacked happily, slowly forgetting THEIR PROMISE to stay near and out of danger.

Now and then a huge fish called "Bass" by their father came up from the deep to see what all the commotion was about and suddenly frightened them, scattering the entire fleet further into strange places. Sure enough, without any of them realizing it, the lake began to slowly move towards the steep rocks at the far end.

Then suddenly a huge Eagle swooped down and swished over the tops of their heads and in one great hurry they all dove under a great log which saved them from being eaten. But when they came up on the other side they now found themselves in water that was deep and running faster than what they were use to.

Then First Born told them to follow him to the end of the log and they would just go around and head home now.

But even though they were having fun, and did not have a care in the world, like so many times in a Ducks life, things had unknowingly changed for them. Of course they did not realize this until they got to the end of the huge old log which lay submerged far out into the lake. For now the current ran fast, pushing them from behind…and it was impossible for the little fleet to swim back up against the current!

Oh, this was great fun, just swishing along, faster and faster watching the sandy shore line of the hills turn into steep cliffs. "What an Adventure," they all shouted!

It was "Finally" the last one in line who suddenly began to wonder where they were headed. For he could see ahead of him, and the little fleet began to bump up and down very hard, bobbing over bumps in the fast running water.

Soon their quacking was hard to hear because the water was swirling and in some places it tumbled down over rocks making a great gushing sound. Second hatch knew for sure that they were in trouble when he saw Three; Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine disappear around a big rock. This was really frightening, this was something they had never done before…and this was all so UNEXPECTED, O WOW!!!

Their little adventure was becoming very unpleasant and the little Quacker fleet was quickly becoming frightened over the noise and the fact that they were no longer in control of what direction they could go. For the lake had now vanished and a narrow channel of water was pulling them all along faster and faster. Dark clouds rolled in and thunder and lightening began rumbling through the sky. It soon became apparent to the little scattered fleet, from First Born to finally and every Duck in between, that something was wrong, very, very wrong!

Part 2

The canyon loomed up on each side of them now and the shores were rushing past them very fast. Faster and faster they were taken where they did not want to go! Great dark shadows came over them as the blue sky disappeared into thundering clouds. The cliffs now rose up on each side of them and soon over shadowed them. Cold fingers of foam splashed over them and tried to take them in all directions but First Born and Second hatch worked hard keeping the little fleet together. After several hard bumps and splashes, Second Hatch quacked out to First Born, trying to be heard over the terrifying roar, "Hey, let's get our tail feathers out of this place!"

First Born twisted his head around and squawked, "Yeah, I would love too, but the river is moving so fast I can't hardly see where we are going!"

Just then, as First Born was quacking over his shoulder, he disappeared over a rushing waterfall and as hard as the others tried to paddle off to one side, they all together, like tiny yellow corn buttons going down a drain, went over the water fall and tumbled down and down! This was terrible, the most frightful thing that ever had happened.

It seemed like forever before the deep churning waters released the little fleet and suddenly, all 17 of them popped up to the surface. There at that moment, they all saw the fright on each others faces and knew that somehow they had broken their promise to their parents to stay out of trouble.

The roar of storm and waters was everywhere they looked; it was really an awesome fright! They were soon caught in a large swirling pool and First Born quacked his orders for everyone to inter lock their wings and swim towards shore near the high cliff. So with great effort and much paddling, the little fuzzy fleet slowly moved out of the swirling waters and came to a great fallen tree which floated out from the shore and there, they found safety on its branches.

But what now, how could they ever get back up river to the peaceful lake, to Mama and Papa and to their wonderful Jewel Lake?

Now back at the lakeshore nest Pa Quacker asked Ma, "Hey where's the little Quackers Ma, huh" as he came back near to the nest.

"O, I guess they are down at the shore playing away the day, why don't you go down and check on them Pa, Mama Duck spoke up from stirring the great pot of the Ducks favorite fish bone soup.

So Papa Duck waddled off looking for the 17 Quackers but soon returned to Mama with some worry on his face, telling her that they were nowhere to be seen or heard.

Quickly, both of them waddled down to the lake and searched the whole shore line, then swam out into the deeper waters, looking behind every log and quacking with all their might, calling for their little fleet of Ducks. Soon it was apparent that something had happened to them, but what?

Papa Quacker told Ma to go back to the nest and ask everyone if they had seen the Duckies, while he went off looking for them further along the shore. Papa Quacker swam and swam and just as he thought that it would have been to far for them to go he saw some tiny feathers caught into branches and saw where small web prints had been made on the muddy logs and knew that his little Quackers had been here. Papa Quacker then swam along the long log and became worried as the current began to run swifter. He thought for sure that he now knew what had happened to them.

There was no time to waste, he swam back to Mama Quacker at the nest and told her what he had seen. With frightful quacking and the most fearful thoughts Mama cried out for Papa to do something.

Papa Quacker called out to his old friend the Jay, Mr. Jabber Jaws, and told him what had happened. "Don't you worry, I will fly down the canyon and see what they are up to, and most likely they are having a good splash in some peaceful bay and have forgotten the time."

"That certainly could be, and forgotten their promise too," Mama Quacker quacked out nervously!

So old Jabber Jaws flew off towards the canyon and after a long while he returned and with great excitement, began to Jabber out his findings so fast that Papa Quacker had to quack him down to speak slower.

"I...I flew far out over the lake, across the deep waters, down into the canyon and thought I might find them right close to the shore just past the lake, but they were not there! But I flew on and on, over the first rapids and then the second rapids but still no little Quackers."

Mama Quacker quacked out a very tearful quack thinking the worst was to come, but Papa quacked her to be silent and told Jabber Jaws to get on to what he had found.

So Jabber Jaws the long talking Jay went on, "I thought for sure they were goners, for there is a water fall down the canyon a ways and I couldn't imagine what might happen to them if they went over the falls. Sure enough, that is just what happened, they went over the falls, I found all kinds of Duck feathers floating around in the pool below, but still no little ones."

With this, Mama Quacker fainted right there in the nest. Papa Quacker calmly fanned her with his long wing and told Jabber Jaws to go on.

The family friend Mr. Jabber Jaws hesitated a little, knowing now he had jabbered too much about nothing and had worried Ma Quacker for nothing. "But then as I made a few circles above, I heard some noise over by the cliff shore and I flew to investigate. Then with the greatest surprise, I saw this fallen tree, just full of little Ducks. It looked like the tree had been decorated with a bunch of white flowers; there they were just perched out in the sun drying themselves!

Mama Quacker had now gained her fluff back and interrupted, "Are they all there?"

"Yap, for sure, I counted all 17, they are all there, but how the heck are you gonna ever get them out from that most dangerous place," Jabber Jaws asked.

Papa Quacker put his wings around Mama Quacker and danced with delight that his little Quackers were alright and somehow he assured Mama that he would get them all home safely....but how?

Papa Quacker quickly gathered some things from under the nest, some old rope, fishing line, an old Moose bladder the summer hunters had left behind, a couple of larger fishing hooks, a ball of string and Mama quickly packed some dried minnows and a few good bugs for her lost and hungry Ducks. With a peck on the beak, a swish of the wing over Mama's weary back, Papa Quacker was off towards the roaring canyon.

With fast paddling feet Papa moved swiftly into the current which soon took him down towards the shadowy canyon and on into the frightening roar. The tall canyon walls were now on both sides of him while the water rushed faster and faster over huge rocks. The first rapids were soon bouncing Papa Quacker in all directions and he wondered how scared it must have been for his own little Quackers to have gone this way.

Then over the next set of rushing rapids and down into the canyon the water roared. His friend Jabber Jaws was flying over head, darting around excitedly trying to guide his friend around the dangerous rocks. Soon Papa Quacker could hear the water fall and tried to get to the far side near the cliff to keep from going over and with great effort he paddled between large broken rocks and shot down a foamy stretch of roaring white water and soon saw the terrible water falls behind him and knew that the tree where his little fleet was waiting should be close.

All the while Jabber Jaws was flying directly over head, chirping out some excited message but Papa Quacker could not hear it over the thunder and roar. He finally rounded a bend in the river and off in the shadows he saw what looked to be a bunch of dirty socks hanging on a tree but as he got closer he saw it was 17 cold and hungry Ducklings sleeping on the branches of the floating tree.

"Squawk there, Squawk over there," Papa Quacker shouted out. Suddenly, the tree came alive with all sorts of quacking and fluttering as his little family opened their red worried eyes to the biggest surprise of their life.

"It's Papa, it's Papa, over here Papa, hurry, come save us, the 17 little Quackers quacked and waved their wings in all directions, making sure Papa did not miss them! It was only a moment more and Papa Quacker was on the tree with his little lost fleet and they all huddled around him, telling them of their great adventure and what had happened to them.

While this commotion was taking place, Jabber Jaws the friendly Jay landed and warned Papa Quacker that the day was wearing on and that he better decide how he would get his crazy webbed footed family out of this mess.

"Yes, yes, you're right Jabber Jaws we must be on our way from here."

The thunder still rolled off in the distance but things were calming down now. Papa Quacker knew that it was impossible for any of them to swim back up the rushing waters, nor could they climb out of the steep canyons but the only way out was continuing down stream. In the mean time Papa handed out the dried minnows and juicy fresh bugs to the hungry Quackers while he looked around and thought of a way out.

After they were done eating and had gotten some strength back Papa and Jabber Jaws talked things over and decided what to do. He explained his idea to them.

"Now listen all of you little lost Ducks, this old tree is still afloat and we will push it out into the faster waters and jump onto its many branches while it is carried on down stream. We will tie this old Moose bladder onto a string and let it float alongside us incase anyone falls into the dangerous waters. And if we get stuck somewhere we can pull ourselves over the water to shore with the fishing lines and hooks."

"But Papa, how will we ever get home from wherever we end up," asked Fifteen.

"Oh well, we will worry about that later, we first must make it out of this canyon, and Jabber Jaws will fly ahead and tell us how far we must go and warn of any great dangers."

After each Duck had its place and all was prepared, they were ready. Jabber Jaws chirped encouragement as all the webbed feet kicked and paddled with all their might. Oh what a hard thing to do, but Papa started up a song for them to sing while pushing the great floating tree.

"We are little, but we are strong...we are little but together we are strong!"

"Paddle and push, kick and quack, kick and quack, we are little but we are strong!"

"All together now, push and kick,

let us move this great big stick!"

Even though anyone who might have seen this could never have believed that a fleet of little Ducks could have move such a great tree, it slowly began to move into the rivers current. It was amazing and Jabber Jaws was so excited he nearly crashed into the branches of the now floating tree.

They altogether, slowly and with great efforts managed to push the old floating tree out into the rushing waters, and oh my, what a ride! It really had to be one of the most unusual sights ever to be seen in the canyon, just imagine, an old tree rushing down the fast waters and all its branches filled with a family of 17 little Ducks and one big Papa Duck sitting on the very top, trying to watch what a very excited Jay was chirping about.

So down and through the great canyon the floating Duck raft went, and after many splashes, wild thumps and near misses Jabber Jaws reported back that the canyon soon ended. Then the tall cliffs were gone and then calm and still waters appeared.

After a very bumpy and wet ride the tree raft finally floated out from the shadows of the great canyon and slowly found its way to the bank of the river where a farm house stood off on a hill. Everyone quacked with joy and dove into the calm waters and swam to a warm and wonderful beach where all 17 little Quackers quacked around, ate bugs, picked grass and chased butterflies. Papa Quacker collected all his ropes, strings, float and hooks and brought them to shore.

Now Papa Quacker told his Ducklings to sit down and hide in the grass, while he went searching for someone to help them get back home. "You little dumb birds have caused enough trouble for today, and do not think that your punishments are not to be winged out to each of you. So if you want it worse, you better be still as the water and lower than the grass, and stay hidden," Papa Quacker quacked out his instructions as he waddled through the high grass towards the farm house on a near hill.

Part 3

After a long wattle through high grass Papa Quacker met a great goose who was pulling a wagon load of squash along the farm road. There under a great oak they stopped to talk with one another.

"Hey there Grand goose, how are you doing," asked Papa Quacker.

The Grand Goose set down his horse hair harness with some surprise, and cautiously answered, "Just fine and what may you be doing out here so far from everything?"

Papa puffed up his feathers and picked off a few scraps of moss from his shoulder and replied, "It's a long story but to make it short for now my Ducklings and I were caught in the river and we had to come through the canyon on a floating tree and we are now looking for a way back home.

The Grand Goose eyed the strange Duck with some suspicion, knowing that this was a near impossible thing to have been done. He looked around suspiciously, thinking that this strange Duck might be setting some kind of trap to possibly steel his squash.

Papa Quacker understood the Grand Gooses feelings of worry and hurried and asked, "How far is it to Lake Jewel?"

Grand Goose looked up and down the road, then towards the mountain in the east and said, "About a day's journey by a goose wagon."

"Would your wagon be for hire," Papa Quacker inquired humbly.

"Well now, that might be possible for the right amount of fixings," replied the Grand Goose with a happy smile across his feathered face.

"I could pay you in fish and minnows, or juicy bugs and throw in a wagon full of sweet lake grass that you might sell to your neighbors and even earn more, and if that was not enough, I might toss in a few special lake stones," Papa Quacker thought to sweeten up the deal.

The Grand old Goose scratched his great feathered head with his heavy wing as though he were thinking this offer over then answered. "Well now, seeing that your in such a fix and all, I guess I could help you out some. Count in those special lake stones too," he added!

"Yes, yes, that sounds very good, I will help you unload these squashes and we shall get started," Papa Quacker agreed with a wing shake.

Soon the wagon had been unloaded at the Grand Goose farm and the little Quackers had plucked up a great heap of sweet grass, filling up the empty wagon bed making the ride home a lot more comfortable. The Grand Goose hitched himself to the wagon and all the Quacker family, Papa Quacker and his 17 little Quackers piled onto the wagon and when all was ready, the Grand Goose began to pull the wagon of Ducks down the road which led into the mountains and eventually came to Lake Jewel.

What an adventure the little Quacker flock thought as they stared out over the wondrous lands, the hills and forests. How wonderful it was for the Grand Goose to take them home, what an exciting day they quacked among one another. But Papa Quacker who was sitting up in the front seat talking to the Grand Goose soon reminded them that the day was not over and that this trip was not free.

"I wonder what he means by that," asked Next to Last.

First Born set quietly thinking over what his father had said and knew that all this little adventure was going to be accounted for when they got home.

Late in the evening the Grand Goose pulled the wagon into a thick clump of trees where they might spend the night in safety. Grand Goose really knew his stuff, for he built a nice fire and made a most cozy camp for the wayward Quacker family.

After settling down in camp and rounding up some herbs and bugs the little flock huddled together around Papa Quacker listening to the great stories of Grand Goose and slept the night away. The high mouton air was clear and it was a most exciting night out under the stars.

Before sunrise Jabber Jaws was jumping from branch to branch, squawking everyone awake and Grand Goose awoke in a very grumpy mood, for he liked to sleep in late. Soon all the little ones were up, from their quack snores and number Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen had to gather breakfast while the others loaded up the wagon for the rest of the journey.

Old Grand Goose slowly hitched himself up to the wagon and asked if all the Quackers were aboard. They counted off and Papa nodded to Grand Goose that they were ready. So the wagon moved up the road over the mountain and down towards Lake Jewel. They sang out a great song which echoed off the rocks and every creature in the near mountains could hear the words…

"We the Quackers are going home, going home,

never before and never again will their be such a ride

and oh what a journey we have taken."

"Going home, going home quack quack,"

"Up the mountain, down the road,

O Grand Goose is really pulling a load!"

It was a grand time when they had reached the top of the mountain road and looked down over Jewel Lake. Far below they could see their own tiny nest and they thought for sure they could see Mama Quacker pacing back and forth among the flowers with her wings tucked behind her back.

All of them wanted to shout out their quacks to home below but Grand Goose told them that this might attract trouble, such as the hungry eagle or curious bear so the little wagon load of Ducks remained silent as the curious load of wayward birds was pulled down the steep mountain towards home.

It was Hawk Eye the Red Hawk who first spotted the funny looking sight coming down the mountain and screeched out his delight that all his friends were safe. He flew like a streak of light to Mama Quacker and told her what he had seen and she immediately began to prepare the biggest and best meal of her whole Duck life. Soon the wagon could be heard creaking over the rocky ground and came into sight and many neighbors ran to meet this happy but funny sight. An entire flock of geese flew over their heads to welcome them home! Grand Goose finally pulled his load into the Quacker family nesting area and stopped at the shore of Lake Jewel! "Here we are Ducks, all off the wagon now."

The weary travelers were finally home. All 17 little Quackers were piling down from the wagon before it stopped and ran as fast as their feathered legs might carry them to meet their joyful mother.

What a "quack-a-thon" it was, the whole lake came alive with all the noise and crying quacks. Fish jumped and splashed, frogs croaked and the birds sang their best songs. The lake had never heard such a noise and the celebration echoed through all the hills.

Mama finally straightened out her feathers and put her emotions aside for the time and set out the most wonderful meal for everyone. Grand Goose was made the head Guest at the front of the table while Papa Quacker set next to him and all the neighbors, Jabber Jaws included set around and listened to the great adventure of the Quacker family and its safe return home.

There was "Humming Bird Singing" by the Humming birds, "Fiddle Didel Music" by the crickets, "hooting Tooting Screeching" by the owls and a variety of "Constant Croaking" by all the friendly frogs. Surely, this had to be one of the most wonderful gatherings ever to happen at Lake Jewel.

Early again, the next morning after the business of Grand Goose and Papa Quacker had been settled, all the Ducklings were put to work gathering the best sweet lake grass, fresh minnows, and baskets of the best lake herbs for the Grand Goose. Papa had given Grand Goose a huge basket of dried fish, seven clumps of lemon grass, a feather pillow and a tiny bag of the shiniest lake stones. The wagon was piled high with many fine things; old Grand Goose said his good-byes and slowly waddled up the steep road pulling a heavy laden wagon of fine supplies.

Now once again the Quacker family was all together and of course they were very thankful for their good fortune. The Wise Old Owl had spoken the night before, telling the 17 little Quackers how fortunate they were to have a father who would risk his feathers for them and then find a way home for them, not just any way home, but a special ride in a Grand Goose wagon.

They all set listening nodding their beaks and all of them had tears dripping down their feathered faces. Mama Quacker had slept the whole night with her large warm wings around her little Quackers and they all knew that they had caused a great deal of fright and trouble among their family and lake side community.

They were certainly enjoying their fame and special attention from Mama but they knew that their disobedience was not to go without answer!

A new day arrived, the sun was bright and the wind was warm but it would be a long time before those 17 little adventurers were allowed away from their jobs of replacing the baskets of dried fish, the clumps of precious lemon grass and trying to find seven shiny lake stone to put back into Papa's special Stone Bank.

It was a long lesson time for all of them to realize the danger of what they had done by not paying attention, by disobeying the community orders and breaking the family trust.

It was a tough lesson that the 17 Quacker Ducklings learned. From carelessness, to disobedience and then onto trouble and danger, they learned that there were results from their actions. For sure fame was not worth trouble! Even though new friends had been made and everything had turned out well the entire family was made to pay! From First Born to finally, each Duckling now knew that their parents only loved them and from now on they would always listen to the wisdom of those who knew better!

Just as summer arrived, the long task of replacing all the family supplies for winter was finally accomplished. Many new Duck families had moved into the lake area so Papa and Mama Quacker took the whole family on a special Duck vacation across the lake to visit some new Duck families. But of course, they all stayed far away from any dangers and a new summer of adventure began for the Famous Quacker Family!

Once again, Jewel Lake returned to its peace and quiet and 17 little Ducks grew older and wiser!

Dedicated to Love and her friends!

Contact Author at:

michael@ticktalk.net