Four Ducks and the Giant Fish
A peaceful moment turns into an unexpected adventure in the heart of the river
Once upon a time, in a quiet part of the world, there was a beautiful river that flowed through green fields and tall trees. The water was clear, and small fish could be seen swimming under the surface. Birds flew above, and the breeze carried the soft sounds of nature.
In this peaceful river lived four ducks. Their names were Dilly, Danny, Dora, and Dodo. They were best friends and did everything together. Every morning, they swam through the river, looking for food, playing in the water, and enjoying the sunshine.
Dilly was the leader. She was brave and always full of ideas. Danny was the fastest swimmer. Dora loved to sing, and her voice echoed across the water like music. Dodo was a little slow and clumsy, but he was kind and always made the others laugh.
One sunny morning, the four ducks gathered near their favorite spot — a small corner of the river where lilies grew and dragonflies danced in the air.
"Let’s go explore further down the river today!" Dilly said with excitement.
"Yes!" said Danny. "Maybe we’ll find something new!"
Dora sang a happy song, and Dodo flapped his wings with joy. The four ducks swam together, their feathers shining in the sun.
They passed trees whose branches leaned over the water, and they saw frogs jumping from one lily pad to another. It was a perfect day — until something strange happened.
The water started to move in big circles.
"W-what is that?" Dodo asked, his voice shaking.
"Stay calm," said Dilly. She looked closely at the water. Suddenly, a large shadow moved below them.
"It’s huge!" shouted Danny.
A moment later, a giant fish appeared beneath the surface. It was the biggest fish they had ever seen. Its scales were shiny and blue, and its eyes were deep and dark. It swam slowly, watching the ducks above.
The ducks froze. They had heard stories about a giant fish that lived in the deep parts of the river. Some animals believed it was just a legend.
But the legend was real.
"It’s the river guardian," whispered Dora. "My grandma once told me about it. They say it only comes out when something is wrong."
The fish swam closer. Its mouth opened, but instead of trying to eat the ducks, it spoke.
"Do not fear me," the fish said in a deep, slow voice. "I have been watching you. The river is in danger, and I need your help."
The ducks looked at each other. They were scared, but curious.
"How can we help?" Dilly asked bravely.
"There is a blockage in the river far downstream," said the fish. "Trees have fallen, and the water cannot flow. If the water stops, many animals will suffer."
"Why us?" asked Dodo. "We’re just ducks."
"You have kind hearts, and you work together," said the fish. "That is what the river needs right now."
The four ducks nodded. Even though they were afraid, they knew they had to help.
"Lead us to the problem," said Dilly.
The giant fish turned and began to swim downstream. The ducks followed closely behind. The journey was long, and the river grew darker and deeper. The sun could no longer reach the bottom, and strange sounds came from the water.
They passed schools of fish, turtles resting on rocks, and even a shy otter that waved at them.
Finally, they reached the blocked area. Huge logs and branches had piled up, stopping the water. Behind the blockage, animals were struggling. Frogs had no water to sit in, small fish were trapped, and the plants were drying out.
"We must clear this," said Dilly.
"But how?" Danny asked. "We’re small."
The fish spoke again. "You are not strong alone, but together you can do anything."
The ducks made a plan. Dodo would use his big beak to lift small sticks. Dora would pull floating branches with her feet. Danny, the fastest, would carry messages and bring help. Dilly would lead and make sure everything went well.
Danny swam back up the river and brought turtles, beavers, and even some humans who loved the river. The animals worked together, moving sticks and logs. The humans used tools to cut the biggest branches.
For hours they worked. Slowly, the water started to move again. A little at first, then faster and faster. Fish swam freely, frogs jumped with joy, and the plants stood tall again.
The giant fish smiled. "You have done well."
"We couldn’t have done it without your guidance," said Dilly.
"You reminded us that we are stronger together," added Dora.
The fish nodded. "Always remember that friendship, courage, and kindness can change even the biggest problems."
With a final splash, the giant fish dove deep into the water and disappeared.
The ducks swam back to their home, tired but happy. They had saved the river. From that day on, they were known as heroes. Other animals respected them, and the river was more alive than ever before.
Every now and then, the ducks would swim to that part of the river and remember the day they met the giant fish — the day their adventure began.
And the legend of the four brave ducks and the giant fish lived on forever.
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Bilal Mohammadi
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'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
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