Page 1
Once there was a friendly duck with a very big bill
named Quackling. Quackling found a gold coin,
and she lent it to the King. Five years later,
the selfish King still hadn't paid her back!
Page 2
Quackling waddled down the road toward the palace singing,
"Quack, quack, when will I get my money back?"
Along the way, Quackling met a furry fox.
"Can I come with you to see the King?" asked the fox?
Page 3
"Of course," said Quackling. "You can't have
too many friends in this world. But it is
a long way to the palace. Hop into my mouth
and I will carry you in my stomach."
Page 4
Next, Quackling met a tall ladder.
The ladder also wanted to go see the King.
"You can never have too many friends,"
said Quackling.
And she carried the ladder in her stomach as well.
Page 5
After that, Quackling made friends with
a rushing river and a beehive.
The River and the beehive also rode along in
Quackling's stomach to meet the King.
Page 6
It was getting crowded in Quackling's stomach.
As she waddled up to the palace, she sang,
"Quack, quack, when will I get my money back?"
Page 7
The King was a very greedy man.
He used his subjects' money to buy food
and a big golden crown. He didn't want to give
Quackling back her money. Instead, he threw her into
the chicken coop with lots of nasty chickens!
Page 8
The chickens pecked and pecked at Quackling.
Her bill was so big that she could not defend herself.
But she finally remembered she had
the fox in her stomach!
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"Quick, eat all the chickens before they peck me to pieces!"
she told the fox as she spat him out.
Soon he gobbled up the chickens.
Quackling was saved!
Page 10
When the King saw that Quackling had survived,
he threw her down a deep dark well.
Quackling spat the ladder out of her stomach
and climbed all the way up to the top of the well.
Page 11
But the King was not giving up yet!
He had Quackling thrown into a furnace
with a huge, burning fire.
The River rushed out of Quackling's bill
and quenched the flames.
Page 12
"Quack, quack, now can I get my money back?"
said Quackling.
The King said, "Ha, ha, you will never get your money back!"
And he sat right on top of Quackling!
Page 13
Quackling felt squished by the big King! But she still had
one friend left in her stomach. She let the beehive out,
and all the bees inside swarmed out to sting the King.
"Ow, ow, ow!" yelled the King, as he zipped out of the room,
out of the castle, over the drawbridge, down the road
and out of the country, never to be seen again.
Page 14
Soon, all the King's subjects arrived at the palace
to see if he was truly gone. "Hurray!" everyone exclaimed.
"The evil King is gone forever!"
They were so happy, that they made Quackling their Queen.
She ruled fairly for the rest of her life,
and the entire kingdom lived in peace forever.
