The Duck & The Hassenpfeffer
Let’s
follow these two unusual characters as they face challenges and race to the
Puyallup Fair’s Finish line in the Washington State Fairgrounds…
The Hassenpfeffer had lots and lots of money
and the duck had no money. The Hassenpfeffer and the duck were very hungry and
the Hassenpfeffer hopped quickly past the duck towards a farmer for some rabbit
food. He ate and ate and ate until he was fat and very full. He didn’t want to
share with the duck so he ate up everything in sight. The duck was hungry too,
and passed the same farmer but had no money to buy duck food, so the farmer
refused him. Saddened, he slowly waddled along. The Hassenpfeffer decided he
needed some fancy clothes to impress the Puyallup Fair Judges when he would win
the race so he hopped into the City Store and bought some warm City-slicker
clothes. He bought a fancy hat, white gloves and a cane and hopped quickly
along. The duck was feeling a bit chilly and waddled slowly across the same
City Store but had no money and was turned away. He just slowly waddled along.
The Hassenpfeffer decided he needed a big backpack to carry all his money and he
came across a Merchant with a mule on the side of the road. The Hassenpfeffer
bought the backpack off the Merchant’s mule, stuffed his money inside and hopped
quickly along. The duck had no money so he slowly passed the Merchant and the
mule, smiled and slowly waddled along. The Hassenpfeffer decided he needed more
rabbit food as he passed by a General Feed Store. He paid the Manager and ate
and ate and ate and then quickly hopped along. The duck growing very hungry now
passed the same feed store but had no money, was turned away and kept pressing
onward. The Hassenpfeffer was now very fat from all his eating, very tired from
carrying his huge backpack full of money and growing very warm from all his
fancy City-slicker clothes that he became weary and had to take a rest. The
duck slowly waddled past the Hassenpfeffer winked and smiled at him as he slowly
waddled along. The Hassenpfeffer stood up as fast as he could and hopped
quickly to catch up to the duck. His backpack of money, fancy clothes and all
the food he ate made him very, very slow. He didn’t want to leave any of it
behind so he struggled and struggled and wiped the sweat from his brow as he
slowly dragged it all along. The duck knowing full well that despite his
obstacles if he wasn’t greedy, didn’t hold grudges, didn’t give up and just kept
pressing forward he would eventually win the race. The duck had faith in
himself and never ever gave up. The Hassenpfeffer dropped his big bag of money,
tore off his fancy City-slicker clothes and hopped as fast as he could possibly
hop, but never made it past the duck to the finish line. The duck won the
Puyallup Fair’s Race as he slowly waddled past the finish line. The Puyallup
Fairgoers cheered and brought lots of food, clothes, money but most of all their
love and friendship to the finish line. The duck forgave the Hassenpfeffer for
being greedy and not sharing. The Hassenpfeffer learned a valuable lesson that
day. “Some people might have more “things” than you do, but it is what is
inside that makes you more valuable!” Then the Hassenpfeffer smiled at the duck
and slowly “waddled” along.
Copyright 2002
by Author Patti Tricoli
