In the field there are three ducks and a hen. The blue duck is called Juan, the yellow duck is called María, the green duck is called Alejandro, and the white hen is called Zaira. Hen Zaira thinks she is a female duck. Ducks fly, but hens don’t fly.

Juan: –Hi, Alejandro and María. Shall we fly?

Alejandro: –Yes, it is a good idea.

María: –Let’s fly to the barn. Zaira, come with us.

Zaira: –Yes, but I can’t fly. I’m going to walk.

John: –Okay, see you later.

5 minutes later.

Alejandro: –Why does Zaira walk to the barn?

Juan: –Zaira walks to the barn because she is a hen.

María: –What? She is not a female duck?

Alejandro: –She walks very slowly. We are going to help Zaira to fly.

Zaira finally reaches the barn.

Zaira: –Friend María, friends Juan and Alejandro, I’m here. Sorry for being late.

María: –It’s okay Zaira, the other ducks and I are going to help you fly.

Zaira: –Thank you very much for your help. I am very happy because I want to learn to fly like a female duck.

Juan is worried and secretly talks to María and Alejandro.

Juan: –María, Alejandro, how is a hen going to fly with three ducks? That’s a farce.

Alejandro: –She has wings, feathers and a beak, right?

María: –Yes, she has many similarities with us.

Juan: –But she doesn’t fly like us.

Zaira listens to the conversation and is sad.

Zaira: –You don’t want to teach me to fly, but I’m going to learn.

Alejandro: –Yes, let ‘s see!

Alejandro, María y Juan fly.

Zaira takes flight and tries to fly, but she can’t fly. Zaira is sad again.

Zaira:  –I can’t fly. I’m sorry, friends. I’m going to walk home.

Zaira quickly starts walking.

Alejandro, María, and Juan look at Zaira sadly.

Alejandro: –Zaira, why are you going home?

Zaira: (Looking sadly at Alejandro, Juan and María) –Friends, I’m a hen. I am not a female duck. I will never fly.

María: –Yes, Zaira, you are going to fly. Do not stop believing.

Zaira tenderly looks at the ducks Juan and Alejandro and at the female duck María.

John: –Wait a minute. I have an idea!

Alejandro, María and Zaira: –What?

Juan: (Looking at Zaira) –I know how you can fly.

Alejandro, María and Zaira: –How?

Juan: –We are going to take turns holding Zaira, and that’s how we’re going to fly together.

Alejandro, María and Zaira: –Yessss…!

María, Juan, Alejandro and Zaira are very happy.

Moral: Friendship is like a team. The similarities are stronger than the differences.

Media Attribution

• Illustrations by Cheyenne Pokeda