The Ugly Duckling

Character List

Scene 1
1. Narrator ___________________
2. Mother Duck _______________
3. Old Duck __________________
4. Duckling 1 _________________
5. Duckling 2 _________________
6. Duckling 3 _________________
7. Ugly Duckling ____________
8. Hunter 1 ________________
9. Hunter 2 ________________
10. Rooster 1 _______________
11. Frog _________________
12. Swan ________________
Scene 1: Hatching
Narrator:

It is a beautiful spring day on the farm and Mother Duck is sitting

on her eggs by the pond. She is waiting for the eggs to hatch. She
waits, and waits, and waits.
Its so boring sitting here! I wonder how long it will be before my

Mother Duck:

eggs will hatch. Oh! What was that noise? Is someone there?
Narrator:

Just then the oldest duck on the farm comes to visit Mother Duck.

(Enter Old Duck)

Old Duck:

Its just me! Whats wrong? You look worried. Have your eggs

Mother Duck:
Old Duck:

hatched yet?
Not yet, but I think they will very soon.
How many eggs are there?

Mother Duck:
Old Duck:
Mother Duck:
Old Duck:

There are three eggs!

Let me count: 1, 2, 3, 4 ! My dear, you have four eggs, not three.
Oh! Really? Four eggs?
Thats right! And that last one is huge. It looks like a turkey egg.
Are you sure its yours? You should just leave it.

Mother Duck:

Its mine! I will not wait for all my eggs to hatch and I will love all
my ducklings.

(Crack!)
(The eggs hatch and the ducklings stand beside their mother.)
Mother Duck:

Here they come!

Scene 2: Bullying
Mother Duck:
Ducklings:
Mother Duck:

Come, my children! Come and stand here.

Hello mother! Hello brother! Hello sister!
Look! The large one is hatching.

(The largest egg hatches, and the Ugly Duckling stands in the nest)
Narrator: Finally, the biggest egg hatches. Mother duck sees that the last duckling is
a little different from the other, but she is still happy.
Old Duck:
Duckling 1:
Duckling 2:
Duckling 3:
Duckling 1:
Duckling 2:
Duckling 3:
Duckling 1:
Duckling 2:
All Ducklings:
Narrator:

Oh, my! Hes a big duckling.

Hes such an ugly duckling.
Lets not speak to him.
Lets not look at him.
Lets not play with him.
Lets not walk with him.
Lets not eat with him.
Lets run away from him.
Lets hide from him.
(All shout) Youre the ugliest duckling!
All the ducklings laugh at their brother because he looks so different.

Mother Duck: Okay children, its time to learn how to swim!

Ducklings Ugly Duckling: Yay!

Narrator:

Mother duck takes her ducklings to the pond. She teaches them
how to swim. Mother duck is surprised to see that the ugly
duckling is the fastest swimmer.

Duckling 1:
Ducklings:

He is such a show off, lets teach him a lesson

Good idea!
~ The ducklings hide ~

Where are my brothers and sisters? Where did they go?

Ugly Duckling:
(The Ugly Duckling looks around)
Ugly Duckling:
Im alone! Im scared! Someone help me!
(Exit the Ugly Duckling)
Scene 3: The Hunters
Narrator: Two hunters are hunting ducks when they suddenly find the ugly duckling.
(Enter Hunters)
Hunter 1:
Where are the ducks?
Hunter 2:
They flew away.
(Hunter 2 makes a duck call sound)
(Enter the Ugly Duckling)
Ugly Duckling:
Mother?
Hunter 2:
Ugh! What is that? Thats not a duck!
Hunter 1:
Maybe it scared the other ducks away.
Hunter 2:
Yeah, I think youre right! Quick! Shoot it!
Hunter 1:
Why should we do that?
Hunter 2:
Because it an ugly duck and it scared all the other ducks away!
Hunter 1:
Are you sure you want to waste bullets on it? Im sure we can find
some nicer ducks around here somewhere. Come on, lets go.
(Hunter 2 tries to shoot the Ugly Duckling)
Hunter 2:
Whatever, I am going to shoot it then. I want to eat duck tonight!
Ugly Duckling:
HELP!

(Hunter 2 chases the Ugly Duckling offstage)

Scene 4: The Chickens
Narrator: After running away from the hunters, the ugly duckling come across the
horribly vain rooster.
Chicken is looking in a mirror
Rooster:
You look so beautiful! You look so healthy. Your feathers look so
shiny.
(Enter the Ugly Duckling) (The chicken looks at the Ugly Duckling)
Rooster:
Oh! You look so ugly!
Ugly Duckling:
Im sorry, but Im very hungry.
Rooster:
Theres no food here. Go away!
Ugly Duckling
Im scared! Im lost! Im alone. Can I stay here and be a baby
Rooster:

chicken?
(Laughing) No, you cant. Go away.

(Exit the Ugly Duckling followed by chicken)

Scene 5: The Frog
After getting away from that horrible rooster, the ugly duckling come across a frog who
is sitting near a pond.
(Enter the Frog who sits on a rock)
(The Ugly Duckling walks past the Frog quietly)
Frog:
Ugly Duckling:
Frog:
Ugly Duckling:
Frog:

Good morning!
Good morning!
You dont look you are having a good morning. Whats wrong?
I feel terrible! Im scared. Im lost. Im alone. Nobody likes me.
Why dont they like you?

Ugly Duckling:

Because Im an ugly duck. Cant you see that?

Frog:

No. You are not ugly! You are just different, thats all.
You can stay here with me. Dont be scared. You wont be alone any

Ugly Duckling:
Frog:

more.
Can we be friends?
Yes, of course we can be friends.

Ugly Duckling:
Frog:
Ugly Duckling:
Frog:

What are you doing?

Im trying to catch some flies for dinner.
Can I help you?
Sure. Are you hungry, too?

(The Ugly Duckling runs around trying to catch flies while the Frog watches and
laughs.)
Ugly Duckling:
Frog:
Ugly Duckling:
Frog:

Why are you laughing?

You look so funny waiting for flies!
Youre laughing at me!
Im not laughing at you, Im laughing with you! Friends laugh with
each other.

Narrator:

The Ugly Duckling stayed at the pond. He had nowhere else to go,
and the Frog did not chase him away.

Scene 6: The Swans

(Enter swans)
(The Ugly Duckling hides)
Ugly Duckling:
WOW! Theyre so beautiful. What are they?
Frog:
They are swans. Look in the water. Are you still an ugly duckling?
(The Ugly Duckling looks at his reflection and realizes he is a swan.)
Ugly Duckling:
You always knew I was a swan, but why didnt you tell me?
Frog:
Yes, of course I knew, but I didnt tell you because I wanted you to
find out that you can be loved no matter which animal you are.
(The Ugly Duckling goes into the open)
Swan:
Well, hello there!
Ugly Duckling:
Good afternoon.
Swan:
Where did you come from?
Ugly Duckling:
I dont know. I always thought I was a duck before now.
Swan:
(Laughing) A duck? They are so rough compared with you. You are
a handsome swan. Talk to us! Play with us! Join us! Fly with us!
Ugly Duckling:
(Talks to the Frog) Can I really fly?
Frog:
Yes, Im sure you can.
Ugly Duckling:
Oh, Im so excited, but Im also sad to be leaving you. Thank you for
being so kind to me when no one else was.

Frog:
Narrator:

You are so very welcome. Now, fly away and take care!
Since he hatched, the swan always thought that he was a duck and
that he was ugly just because he was different. Remember that
being different is a wonderful thing, and its what makes each of us
special.