Duck And The Fish Swimming

Let's Race!

"Hey, Mr. Duck!" called out the fish, blowing a few bubbles. "I've been watching your bright orange feet. They go back and forth, back and forth, working so hard. Why are you doing that?"

Mr. Duck let out a happy whistle. "Ha, ha, ha! Those are my paddles," he explained. "They are wide and webbed, just like the flippers you might wear at the beach. I push them against the water to zoom across the pond!"

Then, Mr. Duck tilted his head, looking down through the clear water. He was curious, too. "But wait a minute, Mr. Fish—how do you swim? You don't have any legs at all!"

The fish smiled, his scales shimmering in the sunlight. "That’s right, Mr. Duck! While you use your feet like paddles, I use my whole body like a giant wave."

"A wave?" asked the duck, leaning down for a closer look.

"Exactly!" said the fish. "Watch this!"

The fish gave a powerful swish of his tail. He wiggled his body from side to side, zipping in a quick circle. "I use my strong tail to push against the water, and my fins help me steer left, right, up, and down. It’s like I’m flying, but under the water!"

A New Friend Arrives Just then, a tiny green head popped up between two lily pads. Plop! "Don't forget about me!" croaked Freddy the Frog.

Mr. Duck and Mr. Fish both turned to look. "How do you do it, Freddy?" they asked at the same time. "You have legs like a duck, but you don't have a tail like a fish!"

Freddy the Frog gave a giant leap and landed on a log. "I have the best of both worlds," he bragged. "I use my long, powerful back legs to kick like a spring! Boing! When I’m in the water, I do the breaststroke. I fold my legs in and kick them out wide to push myself forward."

The Great Pond Parade

The three friends looked at each other and realized that even though they all moved differently, they were all headed to the same place: the sunny side of the pond.

They reached the warm, sunny rocks together and laughed. They learned that it doesn't matter if you paddle, wiggle, or kick—as long as you’re having fun in the water, you’re moving just right!

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