Abel lived by himself on a small pond in a small garden which he disliked
very much. He wanted to live on a lake with other ducks.

All day and every day Abel made as much noise as he could. Despite the fact that the twins, Denice and Bridget, hung the bathroom shower out of the window for him would not keep him quiet.

'That duck must go to a park', said their father, 'now!'

'But Daddy,' they wailed, 'we'll never see him again.'

I will take you to see Abel every other Sunday,' Daddy promised. So Abel was put into a large box and taken by car to the park. But after only one day swimming around with the other ducks he realised that he had made a terrible mistake. They were all so noisy that to get any peace he had to hide head down in the reeds: he wanted to go home...

For two weeks he waited hoping that the twins would come back, but when they did arrive they only stroked him a few times and popped him back in the
lake!

'Q U A C K!!' Abel flew out of the water and straight through the car
window into Daddy's lap.

So they took him home, and Abel became the quietest duck in the county.

by Sylvia Crèche

Author of the Mervyn Mouse Books