The Girl and the Ducklings

A young girl in yellow rain boots and a green satchel visits her park pond every morning to watch a mother duck and her ducklings paddle in a wobbly line. She knows the whole family by heart, from Mother Duck's glossy brown feathers and blue wing patch to the duckling with the brown speckled head, and the pond feels like her favorite place in the world.

One day she notices something wrong: visitors come too close, children run and shout, and the ducklings hide in the reeds while Mother Duck gathers her babies under her wings. Though she is only eight, the girl decides to act, and she brings the problem to Ranger Maya at the park office. Together they learn that nesting birds need quiet and space, and their simple, cheerful solution is a set of hand-drawn signs asking people to watch quietly from a distance. This tale by Çınar BİBER can be read on Masalcı Baba.