Patty the Ugly Peacock hung her head as she walked through the foggy forest one summer evening. Patty was constantly teased by her woodland friends. She wasn’t special. She didn’t have soft, gorgeous fur like the baboon twins, Steve and Johnny. She didn’t have astonishing wings like the butterflies that lived in her neighboring tree. Patty wasn’t special to anyone or anything. She was just a blue bird. She didn’t stand out, and wasn’t any different than her relatives. Peacocks didn’t normally care about their appearance or what others thought of them. But, Patty the Ugly Peacock did.


She continued her stroll and suddenly a solution to her problem struck her like a bolt of lightning. Patty the Ugly Peacock was going take a journey, a terrifying, perilous journey, to meet the brilliant, Mr. Magic Fox. He could grant her a wish. But, he was known as the most cunning and unforgiving animal in the whole forest. He’d rather turn her into a frog than be kindhearted.
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“Please!” Patty pleaded.
“Patty, I already told you, NO!” Stella the Skunk, Patty’s best friend, replied intently.
“But…but…I can’t go alone!” Patty exclaimed.
“Then don’t go” Stella quickly told her. Stella thought the idea was ridiculous. Visiting the powerful fox? She didn’t think so.
Patty looked at Stella seriously and rolled her eyes. “NOT GO! That’s crazy! I have to become prettier!”
“Patty,” Stella began, “you are pretty enough! You are gorgeous! There is nothing you need to do to yourself!”
Patty frowned. “Please.” She said sounding close to tears.
Stella knew she couldn’t turn down her friend. She couldn’t let her go by herself! It would be suicide! They sat in the silence for a few moments. “Okay, fine, but on one condition!” She said, while trying to think of her “condition”.
“Anything you want!” Patty said, still sounding sad.
“We can’t leave until Thursday.” Stella said.
Patty sighed. Thursday! She contemplated her situation silently. That was three days away! Surely it would be easier if they left tomorrow. But, she was desperate. She had to go. “Fine, Thursday,” she stated, “but no later!”
Awkwardly, Patty hugged her and they sauntered off towards their village in the forest. It was time to prepare for the most excruciating adventure of their lives.
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Finally, the day of their departure began. There already had been a mess of tears and a share of goodbyes. Patty held her friends hand and waved with her other, barely being able to keep her bag slung across her shoulder. The bag consisted of food, water, and other necessities. Stella squeezed her hand, indicating that they should leave. They turned around and walked away, almost weeping themselves. They walked for miles. Along with the other essential supplies, they possessed a map. The map was old and worn out. In a few places, you couldn’t even see where to go next! But they walked and walked, not saying a word to each other or other the creatures that ventured by.

Frightened and exhausted, they decided they needed a break. The water in their bag was for imperative use only. Passing by a humongous lake, they figured it was the right time to stop, rest, and compose themselves. Animals were everywhere! They were either eating the luscious grasses surrounding the huge lake, or drinking the clean, sparkling water. Patty and Stella sat on a nearby rock, while scrounging for something to use as a cup. Settling on a hollowed out rock, they quickly raced to the water. Drinking until they couldn’t hold anymore, they conversed about what to do next.
“I am extremely tired! Maybe we should nap for a little bit?” Stella told Patty.
“Where would we sleep?” Patty asked, wonderingly.
“Well, the family of chipmunks over there went inside a tree. Would that work?”
“I don’t believe we could fit inside a tree. How about we just lay on the soft grasses beneath the stars?”
They thought and thought. Where could they sleep? Out in the open would be splendidly, beautiful! But, it would be unsafe and severely cold. Hearing small footsteps, and a few crunches of leaves, they both slowly lifted their heads upwards. An awfully young cougar appeared in front of them. It seemed as if he was a runt of a litter, being so small. He smiled almost evilly.
Smirking, he said, “I hear you both need somewhere to sleep. Am I correct?”
Nodding innocently Stella muttered, “We wish we had somewhere to sleep.”
“If you desire,” the cougar began, “you could stay in an extra room of mine, at my house.”
“That would be lovely!” Patty replied.
Stella wasn’t too sure. She attempted to see passed his intimidating grin, but couldn’t. He just didn’t seem right to Stella. But, Patty insisted, so, they went anyways. Marching over large hills they eventually reached the secretive home of the cougar.
“By the way, what’s your name?” Patty asked, anxiously.
“Uh, Freddy. Yeah, Freddy the Cougar.” He nervously replied.
Silently, he showed them to their room. After walking in, he shut and locked the door. Hurriedly, “Freddy the Cougar” lunged at the two girls. They dodged, confused. But Patty seemed to realize what he was doing. He was going to kill them.
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They were half way to the lake. They could make it! Stella gripped her friends hand tighter in her own and kept sprinting towards their destination. He was gaining on them. Luckily, Patty the Ugly Peacock had a plan. After reaching the lake they would somehow push their new enemy into the near-freezing water. Slowing their pace, they tried not to run into the lake. They stopped and turned around, having nowhere else to go. Patty, being the quick thinker that she was, determinedly tripped the formidable cougar into the repulsively frigid water. They were free!
Vigorously, they ran through the darkened forest. However, after a while, they stopped, more exhausted than ever. They collapsed right onto the forest floor. Finally, after their long slumber, they awoke, feeling refreshed and ready to endure the next part of their treacherous journey. Picking out the map from their sack, they saw that they had hit a rough spot. They couldn’t tell where to go next, or even, where they were. Moving would, most likely, result in them being more lost than they were in that particular moment. Together, they decided on asking for help. Soon realizing that there weren’t very many animals around, they didn’t know what to do.
“How about we ask the small bird over there?” Stella asked.
“She is definitely too young to know!” Patty answered.
“How about the snake?” Stella asked, desperately.”
“No,” Patty began, “Snakes scare me!” she finished.
“Excuse me?”
The two best friends looked around.
“Down!” The squeaky voice said again.
Looking downward the girls both saw an untrustworthy badger lying practically at their feet!
“Yes?” Patty asked.
“Well, I couldn’t help but over hear your conversation! Are you looking for directions?” The badger said, grinning.
“Yes! Do you have something that could lead us to Mr. Magic Fox?” Stella eagerly asked.
“Oh, yes! In fact I have a whole map that you can use inside my burrow!”
“Really? Oh why, that would be wonderful!” Stella responded, excitingly.
“Just follow me!” The badger said.
The two girls paraded down the road with the badger.
“Do you have a name?” Stella asked.
“Oh yes miss! That would be Mr. Bad Badger! He said.
Stella nodded in return just as they reached his home.
“All you need to do is step up to the front of the hole and slide!” the badger said.
Stella strutted right up to the hole and sat down, getting ready to slip to the bottom never-ending dug-out hole.
“Are you sure this is safe? It looks pretty…..” Stella started to question. “AHHHH!” she finished, disappearing into the hole, as fast as a streaming jet.
Patty turned to face the mischievous looking badger. Adapting to the circumstances, Patty the Ugly Peacock swung her bag and hit the menace. He fell over looking dazed just as Patty struck her second blow with her canteen of water right to his head. More surprised than ever, Mr. Bad Badger gradually slipped into unconsciousness. Patty hurried to the hole and yelled over and over.
“STELLA! ARE YOU OKAY?” she would scream.
At last, Stella said, “Yeah! I am fine! I think I am too far down to reach! Her voice sounded like a distant, inaudible whisper.
“Climb up a little ways, and then I may be able to reach you!” Patty implied
One minute later Stella yelled up at Patty again, “Okay, you can reach!” Her voice sounded closer but still muffled, like she had her hand over her mouth.
Patty reached down as far as she could and felt a hand with long claws. Hauling Stella up took much effort, but she managed to do it. Again, they were free!
“That’s so amazing!” Stella exclaimed, “I can’t believe you knocked him out! You are so courageous!”
“It was nothing!” Patty said, being modest.

Again they studied their practically useless map. They were (as the map said) approximately two minutes away from the home of Mr. Magic Fox. They were chattering on about how Patty saved the day! Stella was being exceedingly loyal to Patty; over complimenting her and telling her how great she was. The blush n Patty’s cheeks made her appear sun burned. Looking back down at the map,they realized that they were basically there. Bracing themselves, they turned the last corner. Mr. Magic Fox was sitting in the middle of what seemed to be a picturesque meadow.
“Hello, ladies!” he said, smiling.
They made it! Patty was going to be beautiful!
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“Mr. Magic Fox!” Patty happily said, tears streaming out of her eyes.
“Yes, my dear! It is me! I have been waiting quite some time for you!” he replied.
“I am so sorry…” she began.
“No need for apologies,” he said “I would like to grant your wish!”
She looked very shocked, but it quickly dissolved into joy.
“Thank you, thank you!” she screamed, cheerfully.
“On account of your bravery, resourcefulness, wits, and determination, I would like to reward you, Patty the Not-So-Ugly Peacock, the most unique feathers in the world. But first, you must repeat these words.”
“Okay! Anything!” Patty said.
“I Patty, the Not-So-Ugly Peacock, will forever know that I earned my gorgeous feathers on my own. I used my skills to out-smart others and my bravery to defeat them. I should like myself for me and not for what others think of me as.”
Patty repeated his exact words. Closing her eyes, she imagined how her beautiful feathers would look: Green and blue, hints of gold. Circles seeming to be eyes. They looked perfect.
Suddenly, Patty opened her eyes. She felt a tingly sensation on her back, almost as if she were cold and had goose bumps. Looking backwards she saw that she had the long feathers that she had imagined! She also saw the disappointed look on Stella’s face.
“What about my friend?” she asked.
“Oh yes, Stella the Skunk. You are one of the most loyal creatures that I have yet to meet! You deserve your embarrassing spray to be demolished! From this day forward, your spray will forever smell like the roses of this meadow.” With a snap of his fingers Stella’s repulsive stink was changed to a lovely, flower scented aroma.
“Thank you!” Stella said, gratified.
“AND, as your final wishes, you may both return safely, with my guidance. No harm will come your way!” he told them, elated.
They hugged Mr. Magic Fox and repetitively thanked him. They were off again! Their journey was over and they felt wonderful!
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As, soon as they arrived home, everyone wanted to know their story. People came from afar, wanting to meet the two lucky girls in person. They were so happy to be liked and appreciated. People no longer stayed away from Stella the Skunk because of her nasty odor. Patty the Not-So-Ugly Peacock felt special. People liked her different, unique feathers. Everyone in the village admired both of them. Patty and Stella stayed friends forever and their wishes stayed granted.
Patty realize she loved her feathers not because of their beauty, but because she earned them. She worked hard and received them on her own. She thought they were gorgeous because she acquired them, they represented her. She felt distinctive and important. Patty the Not-So-Ugly Peacock worked hard and became extraordinary! When you and anyone you know see peacocks remember to always do your greatest, try your hardest, and be yourself; because that’s the best thing you can be!