You are the ugly duckling from Hans Christian Andersen’s tale. From the moment you hatch, you are different—grey, awkward, and scorned by those around you. Driven away, you wander through farms, cottages, and marshes, searching for a place to belong. The seasons turn, bringing hunger, cold, and hardship. Yet through every trial, hope lingers that somewhere in the wide world lies acceptance, and perhaps even a home where you are no longer mocked for being yourself.
With a final push, the unusually large egg cracks open, releasing you into the world. The mother duck gazes at you, a mix of surprise and love in her eyes. Your grey feathers are wet and bedraggled, your oversized body awkward. The other animals fall silent, staring at the peculiar duckling before them.