Danny Ducks tall tales

Danny wanted nothing more then to fit in with his peers, he would always tell tall tales of great adventures and far off lands; fighting large bears and evil witches, only a courageous duckling like himself would attempt such dangerous feats. His grandmother warned him that one day all of his white lies would catch up to him, like most children his age he never listened. In fact his lies became more and more elaborate, his best friend Terry the turtle started questioning the validity of Danny stories.

“I don't care if you believe me Terry, because my real friends know how truly brave I am.”

Terry became so frustrate that he stuck is head in his shell just to get away from the conversation. Danny waddled off angrily to confront his friends; hoping that Terry was they only one that did not believe him. Sammy Snail and Billy Beaver where hanging out by the pound discussing what they were going to do that day when Danny came storming up, they glanced at each other with a worried look, they knew exactly what was coming.

“What's the matter Danny?”

“Nothing, I don't want to talk about it, lets just find something to do as long as we don't include Terry, him and I are no longer friends. I can't believe he called me a liar, you two believe me right?” Sammy and Billy had no clue what fib he was talking about ,there was so many that they just nodded their heads in agreement and continued on with there walk.

“The bear was huge over twelve feet tall, he would have been a nice bear but he was controlled be a vile witch.” Danny was unaware that every time he told the story the bear just kept getting bigger, the witch last week she was part of a separate adventure that he and his grandfather had embarked upon. Sammy and Billy just shook their heads, Danny lied so much that he could no longer keep his stories straight. Finally Billy had enough, if Danny didn't stop lying he could not continue to be his friend.

“Danny you need to stop all of these lies.” He put his head down in shame; “I feel like I failed as a friend because we have let you go on day after day. I know you miss you grandfather; by lying about all the things that you have done together takes away from the real memories of him. Plus there is no way a little duckling could conquer a twelve foot bear, which by the way last week was only nine feet. You can hardly beat me and I am just a cub, if you don't stop this no one is going to want to be around you. ” Danny stood there with tears in his eyes as he watched his friends walk away. He ran home as fast as his little feet could carry him, by the time he got there he was more angry then sad, how dare his friends question the truthfulness of his stories when they weren't there to witness it. His grandmother was out on the deck beating the old living room rug, he coughed as waddled into the house.

“Little one why so upset?” She put both wings around him and held him close.

“Oh, cheese and pinwheels grandma I am so, so....”

His grandmother chuckled softly as she watched him stomp his little feet. “Now if you done throwing a temper tantrum take a deep breath and think about what you are trying to say.”

He took a few calming breaths but before he could get the words out there was a loud bang at the door. It was Franny fox, she owned the bakery two doors down. Her eyes where wide with fear and she was shaking like a leaf.

“Donna quick we must hide all the little ones we are being attacked by savage bears.” At first Danny couldn't believe his luck, he was going to make his friends believe once and for all that he was a very brave duckling, if he did this his lies would then be truth. He promised himself that after he defeated the bear that he would come clean to his friends and hoped they would still like him even though he never did any of those things. Billy and Sammy had been his best friends for years for some reason that was never enough, he had to be friends with every one and if they thought the was brave they would want to hang out with him.

“I am brave, when I am done with my mission they will all see that my stories where no lies but predictions of things to come.” He grabbed his wooded sword and shield and ran right past Franny and his grandmother.

The bears where terrorizing all of the animals, Terry and Billy where hiding behind a large rock when Danny found them.

“Don't worry I am Danny the brave, I will vanquish these evil foes.”

“Please don't, just admit that you are lying we won't be made.” Billy tried to pull Danny behind the rock but Terry stopped him.

“No, Danny if you are truly a brave a fearless duckling here is your chance to prove it.” He pointed towards a very large grizzly bear that was trying to catch a bunny for dinner. Danny took a deep breath and strutted up to the menacing animal. He thrust his mighty sword into the massive animals rear end, the only thing he accomplished was annoying the very hungry bear who had just lost his lunch.

“You just cost me my lunch boy, I would eat you instead but you would just be a tease for my stomach.”

Danny stood his ground and stabbed the bear again. “Listen hear you big brute, I am Danny the brave.” The bear picked Danny up with his very large paws, he also noticed the one of the bears claws was a big as he was. Billy jumped out from the behind the rock and yelled; “Uncle Brutus that enough, I think that Danny got the point.” “Good because I am not going to do this again.” Brutus looked at Danny very seriously; “I hope you learned your lesson about telling lies. You friends and the rest of these fine people have became so tired of your lies that they had to call in the big guns, if you are confused kid that is me. If you think these smart people are fooled by your lies you are kidding yourself, they just want you to come clean with them and yourself. He put Danny down, the whole town had gathered around waiting for the tiny duckling to say something. Danny shared sheepishly at the crowed, for the first time in his life he saw how is lies affected people.

“I am very sorry for all the tall tales that I have told, It was silly for me to think that you all believed what I was saying. I thought if I wasn't just this boring little duckling that you would think that I was cool and brave. I not any of those things; Sammy, Billy and Terry I am sorry that I didn't think your friendship was enough for me. I don't blame you for hating me, I don't blame all of you for hating me. I promise for this day forward that I will always be truthful to my friends and neighbours.

From that day on Danny never told a lie again, he came to realize that his friends and family loved him not because they though he was brave or adventurous, they loved him because he was Danny.