Thursday, April 25, 2019

The ugly duckling

The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling" is a literary fairy tale by  Hans Christian Andersen. We all grew up listening to these enchanting tales that had very endearing protagonists, and yet, very powerful, take home messages.  This story is all about  a little bird born in a barnyard who is always humiliated and ridiculed for its rather unaesthetic appearance.  Until, much to his delight (and to the surprise of others), he transforms into a beautiful swan, the most beautiful bird of all. The story is a classic and popular around the world as a tale about  realising ones personal worth and a transformation that is effected from within.
The tale however has an extension, an ironical aftermath that is an even greater epiphany. An awareness, that is much more fundamental and intense.

  The last few lines of the story........

 One day, as he was swimming, he saw a beautiful swan in the lake and fell in love instantly.However, the duckling remembered that he was very ugly and at this thought he bowed his head down in sadness. Over the winter he had turned into a very handsome young swan!"I understand now! My brothers and sisters are all ducklings, but I am a swan," he thought and swam after the beautiful swan. Soon they got married and lived happily ever after.

The Aftermath........

Now the duckling, no, Swan was very excited. He was embarking on a new phase of life with that glorious realisation that he was as good as or possibly, a shade better( pun intended) than those who had mocked at his former ungainly disposition.
He gradually noticed, however, that he was becoming the object of their attention, all over again. This time, the attention had a trace of envy. There were very soft indications of this. The others would stick together in a group, isolating him totally, and spare no effort to make him feel unwanted. None had the ability to face themselves, or then explore and navigate the path of solitude.  They were secure and safe in the herd. Their strength lay in an " I preen your feathers, and you preen mine" This approach  guaranteed acceptance, as well as provided periodic stoking  of the  embers of their egoes. Their unity was now  bolstered by the envy that all harboured towards this maverick Swan, whose metamorphosis was an unpleasant, unwelcome surprise.
Their impolite countenance was slowly becoming a matter of concern for the swan. He was not expecting any great adulation or appreciation from his peers. He had all along hoped for being accepted and treated as an integral part of the flock.  A very fundamental need. Or so he thought. Membership of the flock was at a premium, accorded to only those who never posed a challenge, or threat to the pecking order. The hierarchy in the flock was at stake. His recent transformation  started  becoming  a matter of even greater source of concern to the flock, than his inglorious and unbecoming past. It all seemed such an incomprehensible paradox.  He had hated to be the object of others constant attention and ridicule,  which he presumed was directed towards his shortcomings. He surmised that post his alchemic transmogrification,he would imperceptibly blend into the warmth and comfort of their acceptance.  He never expected be the cynosure of their eyes. He just wanted to be a part of them.
He scarcely expected the abundance of his virtues to simultaneously metamorphose into a curse. It was as if his upgrade was restricted to his own cognition. His beauty was for his eyes only. He asked himself, whether he wanted  this transformation for his own aesthetic evolution or for enhancing his acceptance in flock?
Then came the moment of epiphany. Being different, was the matter of contention. It did not matter, if he were different for the better, or the worse. In fact, it was better to be worse off because he was then at least not perceived as a threat. Being better off was worse. He realised, he would have to pay the price of conformity and mediocrity as subscription for membership to the fold.
He did not choose to be a non conformist. He was just made differently and this difference cost him his place in the flock.
The beauty of becoming beautiful was beautiful if it was for his own evolution. He decided not to get affected by being despised by the flock. He was filled with an emotion, that was not pride, but a very gratifying sense of self regard and respect.  For others, the Ugly Duckling remained ugly. Only this time around,  beautifully ugly.

Deepak Ranade.

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