THE UGLY DUCKLING (frm a marathi song)

The ducklings looked lovely, wading thru the waters
Now frolicking wing-in-wing, now running ascatter
Shrieking and squealing, drenched to their backs
Calling out to friends, quack, quack, quack!

In a lonely corner, stood a tiny fellow
Trembling, troubled, tearful and mellow.
“Dark and ugly am I, unlike them all
None to play with, spurned by them all!”

One tranquil morning, the ugly little duckling
Peering in the lake, was hit like a sting!
Lo behold! It began to sing! “A lissome swan am I!
A beautiful, graceful, swan am I!

Its life transformed, its fears blown away
Its head held high, into the blue waters it glided away!

A Lad called Toni

There was a lad called Toni
He was as mean as mean can be.
He beat up his friends, screamed at little sis,
Ignored his teachers, and gave school a miss.

His parents, they tried from morn till night
To train him to behave right.
But he paid no heed and went his own way
Until grandpa called to talk to him one day.

“Why are you so naughty son?
Always loving a spanking?”
“What can I do Grandpa; My friends are boring,
My teachers tiring!
I want to be bold and do something daring!”

Grandpa handed him a boxful of nails
shining and tall.
And Toni happily hammered them all!
“Well done, son, Now pull them out
and clear the wall.”

Toni had a rocking time; striking and knocking
And all the nails fell out a-tumbling!
Happy and triumphant he waited for a pat
But Grandpa sadly stared and sat.

“The nails you pulled out, but what about the scars?
The hurt you cause, always lingers afar!”
And Toni was filled with sorrow and grief
Said “Sorry” to all, to his parents’ relief.

Thank you grandpa, I will always obey
Whatever mama and papa say.
Now there was a lad called Toni
Who was as Good as Good can Be!